


The early life of Allyria Dayne

by AllyriaDondarrion



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Allyria is a Stark bastard, Allyria's father is Benjen Stark, Allyria's mother is Ashara, Allyria-centric, Arthur is only mentioned, Beric is only mentioned, Canon-Typical Violence, Discrimination, Evil Daynes, Gen, Illegitimacy, Lies, Minor Character Death, Murder, Not the best childhood, Pre-A Game of Thrones, Starks only mentioned, Tomboy, Underage Betrothal, emotional child abuse, physical child abuse, problem child, swearwords
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:54:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 21,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25228669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllyriaDondarrion/pseuds/AllyriaDondarrion
Summary: Allyria Dayne was born in Starfall three years after Robert Baratheon became the king. It wouldn't be any problem with this if she wasn't the bastard of Ashara Dayne with a Stark... but what kind of life waits for her in a conservative family that thinks that the biggest shame for a noble House is having a bastard?
Relationships: Allyria Dayne/Beric Dondarrion (arranged)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 7





	1. The bastard of Starfall

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, it's the first fanfiction I've ever published... it follows the TV show's timeline but contains more characters from the books who didn't play in the series.  
> It's a bit dark but if you like it, let me know! ;)

AC 284

The old Maester Howard gave the newborn baby to Wylla.

“It’s a girl.” he said. “She looks and sounds healthy.”

The baby was crying loud, while the woman was swathing her into a soft, lilac blanket.

“Shh… don’t cry, beautiful!” she said, then she looked at the old man. “Is Lady Ashara alright?” she asked him.

“Sorry.” he said. “It’s so sad, but Lady Ashara will never see her daughter... She’s dead.”

Wylla had dark skin, but when she heard it, her face became as pale as the light-colored walls of the room. She felt she was almost fainting and she had to sit down to a chair. She was in despair. It couldn’t be real that the young lady died! What could she tell to the Lord and Lady of Starfall?

She looked at Ashara. She was so beautiful and young, in her early twenties. She lay in her bed lifeless and everything was bloody around her. Her haunting violet eyes were wide open, her lips were a bit too, and her long brown hair expanded around her like a dark river on the white pillow, the color of which was brighter and more alive than the tone of her pale dead skin.

“What will happen now?” she asked. “What will happen to the baby?”

“I think, I must tell the Lord and the Lady what happened.” Maester Howard said. “They have to decide what they will do with the…” his voice fainted. “…with the bastard.”

 _Bastard._ _What an ugly word!_ thought Wylla. _This little girl was just born, her father’s sins are not her fault._ Maybe there wouldn’t have been any problem, if she had been born in a salty dornish family, but House Dayne was as conservative as the most Houses north of the Red Mountains… or more conservative…

The maester opened the door. There were only three people outside, Lord Beric Dayne, current Lord of Starfall, his wife Lady Lyra of House Blackmont and their firstborn and only living son Alfrid Dayne, a man of thirty. All of them looked at the maester.

“Maester Howard, please tell us Ashara is alright!” Lady Lyra said desperately. “Tell me, my daughter is alive!”

“I’m so sorry, my lady, my lords,” the old maester said “Lady Ashara…” his voice fainted for a moment and his eyes were sad “…Lady Ashara died while she was giving life to her daughter.”

“What?” she asked hysterically.

“It couldn’t have happened!” Lord Beric shouted upset and he held her wife, who almost collapsed.

“Lady Ashara died.” the maester repeated.

“No! My daughter! My only daughter!” cried Lady Lyra. Her husband hugged her.

Alfrid just stood like a statue. These words deeply hurt him. Some months before his beloved wife also died in childbed and their son was stillborn. Her sister was the third from his loved ones who he lost this year. He couldn’t say nothing.

“I know it’s a hard time for all of us,” the maester said “but this time the baby survived.”

All the Daynes looked at him, then looked at Wylla, who came out of the room with Ashara’s newborn babe. The little girl had stopped crying and she was stared at them with her big brown eyes. Brown eyes, black hair and white northern skin, she looked like a real Stark, like her father.

When Lady Lyra beheld her, she began crying again, but it was rather furious than sad.

“Remove this damned bastard!” she yelled. “I don’t want to see it again! It’s a monster who killed my daughter!”

She cried hysterically and the lord hugged her stronger. Maester Howard was completely floored. He couldn’t believe his lady’s words. Is there any grandmother in the word, who can hate her grandchild so much? It was so horrible to hear this!

“No, it must be a nightmare!” finally Alfrid said. “My wife died, my legitimate son also did, and now my sister is dead, but the bastard is alive. Why? There was not any bastard in House Dayne before!”

***

Wylla was sitting in the kitchen. She just had fed the baby with a goat’s milk. She fell asleep in her arms. The woman crooned her a song and cradled her. When Lord Beric stepped into the kitchen, she stopped and turned into stone.

“Give me the bastard.” he commanded.

“My lord, please, don’t kill her!” Wylla prayed. “She is just an innocent babe.”

“My only daughter died because of this bastard.” said Lord Beric. “The very first bastard of Starfall.”

“I’ll go back with her to the Water Gardens where I served before Princess Elia took me to King’s Landing and raise her my own.” she said. “No one will know that she’s related to House Dayne. She looks completely different from your family, my lord, and I will tell nothing about her real descent, it would never come to light.”

“You will go nowhere until I command you!” he said. “You stay here and take care of the child. I will not kill her, but no one could know about her real parentage.”

“Will I become her new mother?” she asked.

“No.” he replied. “My wife hates the idea, but I hate the fact that our House has a bastard. I will raise her as the own legitimate daughter of mine and my wife.”

Wylla couldn’t believe what Lord Beric said. The baby, who first was only a ‘monster’ is now becoming his own daughter instead of a bastard grandchild. She needed a few minutes to calm down.

“What will be her name?” she asked.

She didn’t get answer to her question, because maester Howard entered the kitchen with a letter.

“Excuse me, my lord,” he said “a raven has just arrived with this letter from Lord Allyrion of Godsgrace.”

“Take the letter to my room, I will read it.” the lord said.

“But my lord, Lord Allyrion…” the maester said again, but the lord raised his hand to silence him.

“Maester Howard, do it!” he commanded.

“As you want, my lord.” said the old man, then he left.

“Lord Allyrion… what a scratchy man…” said Lord Beric angrily, then suddenly he looked at the servant. “Wylla, it will be perfect!”

“What will be perfect, my lord?” asked Wylla quaveringly.

“Allyria” said the lord. “Allyria will be her name, Allyria Dayne.”


	2. The little knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfrid Dayne got married second time and little Edric was born. No one takes care about Allyria who has a really unladylike aim and some knowledge about her deceased 'siblings'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter is here... I'll try to post a new chapter every second day.

AC 287

There are many things that little children don’t understand. Allyria was only two years old when her ‘elder brother’ Alfrid came home with an elegant, blond lady. She was Lady Eleyna of House Yronwood, the wife of her brother. The little girl thought that was normal if her brother had a wife and a year later they had a baby… but why did everyone pretend that she did not exist since he was born?

Alfrid and Eleyna were so proud of their son. The little Edric was as blond as his mother and had his father’s violet eyes. He was a perfect babe, he cried only a little and smiled a lot. Everyone loved him so much. _Did they love me as much too when I was born?_ it was the question that she didn’t dare to ask because she was afraid of the answer. She felt, it would be ‘no’.

Allyria was never close to her mother – actually, her grandmother. She was only three and a half years old, but she felt, Lady Lyra didn’t love her. She saw her only a few times and never got a hug or a kiss from her, but since little Edric was born, the older lady always held him in her arms, smiled at him and gave him kisses on the top of his head.

Wylla was just a servant, but she was more like a mother to the little girl. She looked after her, brushed her soft, black hair and told her wonderful tales. Allyria’s favorite was the one about the brave and honorable knight Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. Wylla told her that Arthur was her brother.

“When I grow up, I will be a knight, like my brother.” Allyria said.

Wylla just smiled at her. She knew well that Ser Arthur wasn’t Allyria’s brother but her uncle. _She must not learn the truth,_ she thought. _It would be a disaster_.

Since little Edric was born, Wylla no longer looked after Allyria. Lady Eleyna had no milk, so she needed a wet nurse. Lady Lyra commanded Wylla to leave Allyria and stay with Eleyna and the newborn baby all the time, furthermore to feed him in all three hours.

Little Allyria felt being alone. She hated it and was becoming more and more a problematic child. Once it happened, she played with fire and burnt her hand. She cried loud. It was the first time when Lady Lyra had a physical contact with her granddaughter, but instead of giving her a hug she just hit her on the bottom. Fortunately, Maester Harwyn, the new maester in Starfall healed her hand and there was no sign of any burn marks on her hand.

After the accident Lord Beric was very angry with Allyria because she touched the fire. He thought it happened because his granddaughter didn’t have any own toys to keep herself busy. He bought some nice dolls to her but she didn’t play with them.

Ser Daron of House Manwoody, castellan of Starfall and cousin of Lady Lyra once heard when Allyria said she wanted to be a knight, so he made her a little sword from wood. She was so happy when she got it and she never took it down. She slept with the wooden sword over her pillow and when she was awake, beat the guards with it at all times. Of course, Lord Beric took it from her.

“Daddy, give it back!” Allyria cried. “It’s my sword!”

“You don’t need a sword.” Lord Beric said. “Play with your dolls like the other little girls.”

“I don’t like playing with dolls.” she said angrily. “It’s for weak girls.”

“You are a girl.” he said.

“But I want to be a knight like my brother Arthur!” she whined.

Lord Beric became nervous. “Who spoke to you about Arthur?” he asked.

“Wylla.” the little girl replied. “She told me that he was the greatest knight ever and was called the Sword of the Morning.”

“I see.” the man said. “Is there anything else she told you about?”

“Arthur was a member of the Kingsguard and once he beat the Smiling Knight.” Allyria said. “He died in the war and a tall, blond northman killed him. Eddard Stark, it was his name, I remember.”

“Yes.” he said quietly.

“When I grow up, I’ll be a knight and I’ll kill Eddard Stark.” she said. “I don’t care about the fact that Ashara loved him, she’s dead.”

“What do you know about Ashara?” her grandfather asked nervously.

“She was my sister and the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms. A lot of knights loved her.” she replied. “Eddard Stark loved her too, but he married another woman, so Ashara jumped off the Palestone Sword tower and died.”

“Did Wylla told you this?” he asked.

“Yep.” she said. “Ashara and Eddard Stark met at a tournament at Harrenhal, but I don’t know where this place is."

“I’ll speak with Wylla about her tales.” he said and turned his back on his granddaughter.

“Give me back my sword!” little Allyria asked him again.

“Maybe one day you will get it back, if you behave well,” her grandfather said “but not today.”

Lord Beric left the crying little girl alone, then he locked the door of her room with a key.


	3. That word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Beric Dayne sends Wylla to High Hermitage and his nephew Ser Gerold Dayne visits to Starfall. He becomes the worst enemy of Allyria and calls her a bastard...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerold is a real jerk in the books and he's also a real jerk here...

AC 288

When little Edric was six months old, his parents decided that he didn’t need a wet nurse any more. Lord Beric commanded Wylla to go to High Hermitage and be the servant of his brother Ser Samwell Dayne. He didn’t trust the woman well enough, so he didn’t allow her to travel alone. He sent a raven to his brother and asked him to send someone who led her on to her new location. Ser Samwell was sick for years, so he sent his son to Starfall.

Allyria was playing at the court with her newest wooden toy sword – the third one that was made by Ser Daron – when Ser Gerold Dayne, only son and heir of Ser Samwell arrived. When Allyria saw him, she thought he was hideous with his long silver hair, clean-shaven face and big aquiline nose. They showed mutual dislike for each other. When Gerold noticed the little girl, he knew immediately she had to be a bastard. He despised bastards, of course.

Gerold got off his horse and started walking in the child’s direction. Allyria stopped and looked at him. _What does he want?_ she tried to guess. When he was only two steps from her, he stopped and spat on the ground in front of her. This rude act didn’t appeal to her. She walked over to him and hit him with the toy sword. Gerold took the sword from her then pushed her to the ground.

“If you do it again, I’ll hit you till you die, bastard.” he said with hatred.

“Give it back to me!” whined little Allyria.

Gerold broke the wooden sword into two pieces then he dropped it on the child. One of the pieces hit her painfully.

“Here it is, bastard.” he said.

He went into the castle and left her crying at the court.

***

In the evening Lord Beric went into his granddaughter’s room. Allyria didn’t sleep, she was just sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace and saw the little flames.

“Don’t touch the fire again!” he said.

The child looked at him angrily. “I will not.” she replied in a nervous manner.

“You behaved terribly this afternoon.” he said. “You hit my nephew with your newest stick. How did you get it?”

“The ugly big man spat at me and pushed me, took my sword away and broke it, and he told me an ugly word.” she complained.

“He told me you just attacked him without any reason.” he said.

“He lied!” she yelled.

“Of course, everyone lies and only you can be right.”

Lord Beric left the room but before he closed the door, Allyria yelled him. “Daddy, what does bastard mean?” she asked.

The Lord of Starfall stopped. He felt he almost had a heart attack. _It cannot be true!_ he thought.

“What does it mean?” the little girl asked again.

“What?” he asked absently.

“The ugly big man told me that word.” Allyria explained. “He called me a bastard. What does it mean?”

“It’s a very rude word.” he said. “People call children a bastard who were born illegitimate.”

“And what does illegitimate mean?” she asked.

“It means that someone’s father and mother are not married to each other.” he tried to explain.

“And what about me?” asked the little girl. “Am I a bastard?”

“No, of course. You are not.” her grandfather lied. “You are my daughter whom my wife gave birth to. And now stop asking such silly questions, I don’t want to hear about it again.”

“But if I’m not a bastard, why does mum hate me?” she asked.

“She doesn’t hate you.” he said. “She hates only the way you behave.”

“How do I behave?” Allyria didn’t stop asking questions.

“You behave like a bad boy.” he answered. “Don’t play with swords or put your hand into the fireplace.”

“But I like swords.” she said. “They’re much better than silly dolls.”

“We have talked about it.” he said. “It is not normal, if a girl plays with swords.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because only boys can be knights.” he replied. “Girls grow to ladies and they don’t need to fight, because men defend them.”

“But I have to defend myself, because no one defends me from ugly big men who call me a bastard!” Allyria talked back. “I must have a sword!”

“We have talked about it.” Lord Beric said determinedly. “Now it is time to sleep, my daughter.”

“I don’t want to sleep!” she yelled.

“I don’t care.” he said. “Good night!”

He closed the door and returned to his room. Allyria remained alone. She was very upset. She sat on her bed and told herself angrily. “When I grow up, I will have a real sword and I will kill everyone who calls me a bastard!”


	4. Someone from the North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one wants to look after Allyria, so her grandfather asks for some help from the North... Eddard and Catelyn send a septa to look after the child and educate her. She almost tells her the truth about her Northern origin...

AC 288, later in the year

After Wylla left Starfall, Lord Beric had to realize that there was no one to look after little Allyria. For some weeks different servants did it but none of them could endure it for more than some days. They left Starfall crying and said ‘She’s a monster.’ or ‘She’s a reiver.’ Lady Lyra first agreed with them, then she realized that only a few female servants remained in the castle. She still didn’t want to take care of her granddaughter, so Lord Beric had to send a raven to Winterfell.

Some month later a young septa walked into the court of the Starfall castle. She wonderingly stared at the high, pale yellow walls and the high, slim and impressive Palestone Sword Tower. While she was looking at the castle, she felt the world stopped for a moment.

Lady Lyra and Eleyna stepped out of the castle and started walking to her. Eleyna held little Edric, who was staring at the world with his large violet eyes. The septa noticed them.

“My ladies.” she greeted them with a courtesy, then she looked at the babe. “What a beautiful child!”

“Thank you.” Eleyna said proudly. “My son, Edric Dayne, the heir of Starfall.”

“And what about the other child?” the septa asked.

“What other child?” asked the blond woman. “Edric is my only child.”

“I know, my lady,” the septa said “I have meant the young Lady Allyria.”

“She is not a young lady.” Lady Lyra said. “She is just a bastard.”

“Yes, I have known about her real parentage,” the septa said quaveringly “Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn told me everything that I have to know.”

“You mean Lord Eddard Stark?” asked the Lady of Starfall.

“Yes, my lady.” the septa replied. “He asked me to come here to be the tutor of the child.”

“Good luck, septa.” the older woman said.

“Oh, I am so sorry, my lady, I have not told you my name.” The younger one felt embarrassed. “I am Septa Welma, originally of House Manderly. I was born in the city of White Harbor…”

“Alright, Septa Welma,” Lady Lyra interrupted her “just go into the castle, find my husband and he will introduce you to the bastard.”

The two noble women went away and left the septa alone. She didn’t see them going away, instead of it went into the castle.

***

Little Allyria was sitting in her room watching the fire. Her grandfather took her last wooden sword two days ago and she was bored since then. She felt the fire calming her – it was the only thing she loved beside the swords.

The door opened. She didn’t turn her head towards it, she knew it was her ‘father’. Who else could it be? She was right, it was Lord Beric again, but this time he wasn’t alone. Septa Welma was with him and she stepped into the room after the lord.

“Allyria.” he said. “Let me introduce you Septa Welma. She will be your tutor.”

“Does she have a new sword for me?” she asked while she was staring into the flames.

“No, but…” the septa said.

“I don’t care.” the little girl interrupted. “I care about no one who doesn’t give me a new sword.”

“I cannot give you a sword but I know beautiful tales.” Welma said.

“I don’t want any stupid tales about stupid princesses.” Allyria said unfriendly. “They are so lame and don’t have swords.”

“Alright, I will not tell you tales about princesses.” the woman said. “I will tell you other tales.”

“What tale do you want to tell me?” asked the child.

“Anything you like.” the septa replied.

“I like tales about war, swords and knights who kill people with swords.” Allyria said and she turned towards her new tutor for the first time.

Septa Welma saw the child’s face for the first time. A nice oval face framed with black hair and large brown eyes. She looked completely different from Lord and Lady Dayne. Her features were similar to Eddard Stark’s but her black hair and brown eyes differed from the northern lord’s blond hair and grey-blue eyes. Dark hair and eyes were more common in House Stark, so no doubt, she had their blood.

“You look like your uncle.” Welma said.

“Liar!” Allyria played hob. “I don’t look like uncle Gerold, he’s ugly!”

“Sorry, I have meant your other uncle. The one who does not belong to House Dayne.” the septa apologized.

“I don’t know any other uncle.” said the child.

“I have not known it, sorry.” said the woman. “Do you want to hear a tale, without a princess?”

“What tale?” the little girl asked.

“A tale from the North.” the septa said. “I come from there.”

“Yes, about my other uncle.” the child replied. “They have never told me anything about him. Who is he?”

“He lives north from here,” Septa Welma said carefully “but not there I come from.”

“Where do you come from?” Allyria asked.

“I come from the city of White Harbor.” the septa replied.

“I’ve never heard about that place.” the child said. “Where is it?”

“It’s on the North.” Her new tutor replied. “North from the Red Mountains. North from King’s Landing and north from the Neck.”

“Where is the Neck?” the little girl asked.

“Far north from King’s Landing.”

“Do you come from the most northern place of the world?”

“No, I do not think.” Welma smiled. “Some castles like Winterfell and Last Heart, and of course the Wall is north from White Harbor.”

“Which wall?” Allyria asked.

“The Wall.” the septa replied. “It stretches for three hundred miles and seven hundred feet tall. It was made of ice many thousand years ago.”

“What is ice?” the little girl asked with rounded eyes.

“When weather is very cold, water freezes and becomes ice.” her tutor explained.

“Sounds great!” the little girl smiled. “I want to see the Ice Wall!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know in the books Eddard had brown hair and grey eyes... but in the show he was portrayed by Sean Bean, so he had blond hair and blueish eyes. In my story he looks the same as in the TV series... (every character from the TV show looks the same as in the TV show, no matter what they looked like in the books)


	5. Clothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Septa Welma tries to help Allyria but Lady Dayne has an extreme dislike for this... and this is the first time Lord Dayne lets his granddaughter something she really wants to do in her lifetime.

AC 289, early in the year

Septa Welma almost got into trouble on her first day, but Lord Beric gave her a second chance. She remained Allyria’s tutor but she was forbidden to tell her anything about her actual relationship with House Stark. The first few weeks were so hard, but finally she got accustomed to the situation.

The septa was watching Allyria and noticed that she had some basic problems. The worst was her clothing, she didn’t have any normal dresses. She was bathed by a servant almost every morning, then she put on her a simple dress which wasn’t elegant, but clear. By afternoon all of these dresses had been ruined and got full of dirt. If one morning she was not given a bath and got dressed, she was dirty all day and she wore the mortal remains of her dress from the previous day.

“I think, you should have some real dresses.” said the septa one day. “I can sew you some.”

“I don’t need any stupid dresses.” Allyria said. “They are for stupid girls. In a dress I can play nothing.”

“What do you like playing?” Welma asked.

“I like playing with swords, climbing trees, watching the fire and of course beating stupid boys who think I’m like other girls.” the child listed. “I hate when an idiot says that I will never be a knight because I’m a girl.”

Septa Welma knew that there were some little girls who liked behaving as a boy and Allyria was one of them. For this reason, she didn’t really need girly dresses, but it was so tragic that she practically wore rags all the time. She decided to sew some new clothes – mostly trousers and shirts for her.

***

“That’s completed.” Welma said and she put down the needle.

“What’s that?” Allyria asked.

“New trousers for you.” the septa said. “I’m going to sew you a shirt that you can wear with them.”

“Daddy and mum have never allowed me to wear clothes that boys do.” wondered the little girl.

“Never mind!” the woman said. “It’s much better if a girl dresses like a boy than she wears only dirty rags.”

“Yep.” the child agreed. “You’re right. I think, you’re clever.” It was the first nice thing that Allyria ever told her septa.

“Thank you, my lady.” she said smiling.

“Don’t call me lady.” Allyria said. “Ladies are stupid and lame, I never want to be a lady!”

“Alright, how could I call you?” the woman asked.

“Allyria.” the child replied. “It’s my name.”

“Alright, Allyria.”

***

Some days later Allyria climbed up the old plum tree in the court. She wore trousers and a shirt, the same style that northern little boys wore. It was much easier to climb in trousers than in a dress, so she was happy.

“Don’t climb too high!” Septa Welma yelled. “It’s dangerous and if you fall down, you will be injured.”

“Don’t worry,” the little girl said “I can climb and it’s much easier in trousers.” She laughed and her tutor felt happiness to hear her laughing.

“Allyria! Come down immediately!” Lady Lyra yelled when she saw her granddaughter on the tree.

“No, I won’t, it’s so good being here.” Allyria talked back.

“Come down!” the older lady commanded angrily. “You are not allowed to climb up a tree!”

“You haven’t allowed it, but it does not mean that it is forbidden.” the child played hob. “You haven’t allowed me to wear trousers either but now I’m doing!”

Lady Lyra noticed what Allyria was wearing and she almost fainted. Previously she didn’t care about what her granddaughter wore, but it was too much for her. She always thought that a girl must be a little lady and being a tomboy is something shameful.

“Who…” the lady stuttered and her nerves were all on the edge “who… has… given… you… these… clothes?”

“My lady,” Septa Welma said frightenedly “I am so sorry, my lady, but she did not want to wear dresses. I am here to look after her, not to fight her.”

“I don’t care, do something with this little monster or go back to the North!” Lady Lyra was in a tantrum.

“My lady, calm down, please!” the septa prayed.

“I cannot stand it anymore.” the older woman said, then she turned her back to them. She made some unsteady steps, then she really fainted.

“My lady!” the septa yelled and bent down to her. “Help me! She has fainted!”

Some guards ran to them and gave the septa a hand to bring the lady back into the castle. One of them ran to tell the lord what happened. No one was interested in what had happened to Allyria. She was just sitting on the tree and staring at what was happening on the ground. She was never close to Lady Lyra but now she was scared. _What if she died? No, I didn’t kill her. She died because she was stupid, but… I hope she’s still alive…_ she thought. When the court became empty, she came down from the tree and ran into the castle.

***

Lord Beric found Allyria in her room. She was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace and crying. When she heard the door closing, she raised her head and wiped away her tears.

“I didn’t kill my mum.” she snuffed.

This phrase made the Lord of Starfall have unpleasant memories. Memories about his only daughter’s death. Ashara, the beautiful and gentle hearted Ashara died in childbed when she gave birth to Allyria.

“You did.” he said with a fury. “You killed her in the moment you were born. Now my wife is between life and death. If she recovers, try not to get in front of her!

“What do you want to do with me?” asked the child. “Will you send me to the Wall among the killers?”

“Unfortunately, I cannot.” the lord said. “Girls cannot take the black. I wish you were a boy! If you were a boy, we would have sent you to the Wall after you were born!”

“Do you hate me so much?” she asked in a thin voice.

“She hates you.” he replied. “I have not hated you yet, but if you continue this behavior, I will not save you anymore!”

“She died because she hated the fact that I wear trousers!” Allyria said.

“She’s still alive… but what you said is a really stupid reason!” her grandfather told her angrily. “Find some believable one!”

“I don’t lie!” she whined.

“You do not.” he said. “You never lie. There is no one in the world who faints when she sees a little girl in trousers.”

“But she did!” the child persevered.

“I don’t believe it!” he shouted.

“Do you allow me to wear trousers?” Allyria asked still in a whiny voice.

“Wear trousers, if you want to do it so much but don’t climb up this damned tree anymore!” her grandfather said.

“Thank you, daddy!” the little girl said and first time since the afternoon a slight smile appeared on her face.


	6. A friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Septa Welma thinks that Allyria needs a friend of her age. Lord Dayne invited Lord Manwoody and his family to Starfall but he has a hidden agenda...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some gossips about Ashara and an alleged stillborn bastard in Dorne, so the secret of House Dayne doesn't remain a secret forever more...

AC 289, some weeks later

Lady Lyra recovered in a couple of weeks, but both she and her husband were so angry with Allyria. The little girl was in a confinement and she wasn’t allowed to leave her room. Of course, she hated that situation with all of her soul.

Septa Welma tried everything to cheer her up a bit. She told her a lot of tales from the North, about the Wall, the Night’s Watch, Brandon the Builder, and of course the Long Night. The last one was Allyira’s favorite, but now she couldn’t pay attention to it. She was just sitting at the window and watching the court.

“Why couldn’t I go outside?” she asked. She seemed to be so bored.

“You were bad and now your punishment is sitting in your room for a few weeks.” the septa answered.

“I wasn’t bad and I didn’t kill my mum!” the little girl said with anger. “Yesterday I saw her, she was at the court with Alfrid’s wife and the stupid little baby.”

“Don’t tell such a rude thing!” her tutor put her in her place. “The young Lord Edric has never hurt you.”

“But he’s stupid.” Allyria said sulkily. “He cannot speak, cannot run, cannot play with me!”

“Yes, it is right, but it does not mean that he is stupid.” Welma replied. “If he becomes older, he will be able to play with you.”

“I wish he were of my age.” the child moaned.

***

“What would you like to say, Septa Welma?” Lord Beric asked when the woman stepped into his room after knocking on the door.

“Allyria is so lonely.” she said. “My lord, I have thought, it would be great, if she had someone of her age who she can play with.”

“Wonderful idea.” said the lord. “A normal little girl would have a positive effect on her.”

“Actually, I have thought of a boy.” the septa said. “She likes boyish games.”

“No way.” he replied.

“I have heard a lot about Lord Eddard’s sister Lyanna.” she said. “She grew up among her brothers and always played with them.”

“And she became a whore who seduced Prince Rhaegar from his wife. They caused my son’s death.” Lord Beric’s face darkened. “I have my own opinion about all the Starks. Brandon Stark, the oldest was so loud with a vulgar personality, but seemed solid beside his youngest brother. The law maybe forgave this damned jerk when he took the black, but House Dayne will never! Lord Eddard, the trustful and honorable Lord Eddard… he flattered my daughter before the war, then he married another woman. And Lyanna… she was just a whore, not else.”

“You dislike the House Stark, my lord, don’t you?” asked Welma frightenedly.

“Well, they are not my favorites.” said the lord. “Allyria is one of them and she is not better than the other Starks.”

“She is just a little child.” the septa said. “Her father’s sins are not her fault!”

“She has his blood…” he said. “the blood of wolves.”

“If she had a friend, who she could play with, she wouldn’t be under our feet…” she tried to tell but Lord Beric interrupted.

“No, my granddaughter will not play boyish games with boys.” he said determinedly. “My lady wife almost died because of her wrong behavior. I cannot let it happen again.”

***

Only two weeks passed, when visitors came to Starfall. Lord Dagos Manwoody, Lord of Kingsgrave and his family, his wife, Lady Myranda of House Yronwood, sister of Eleyna and their two sons. The Daynes were waiting for them in front of the castle. It was the first time when meeting the guests was permitted to Allyria, so she was very excited.

When the carriage stopped in the middle of the court, the Manwoodys got off. The first was Lord Dagos. He was a big man and looked like a younger version of castellan Ser Daron with his big, black beard and strong eyebrows. Lady Myranda with their younger son followed him. The woman had the same long, blond hair and blue eyes as Eleyna’s. The youngest Manwoody was a baby, smaller than Edric, so he didn’t impress Allyria. At last the elder boy jumped off the carriage. Mors Manwoody, heir of Kingsgrave was about the same age of her. He had his father’s emerald eyes and his hair was fair, not as blond as his mother’s but more blondish than brownish.

“My lord and lady, I hope your journey was pleasant.” Lord Beric greeted them politely. “A great privilege to host you.”

“The privilege is mine, my lord. Thank you for your invitation in the name of my whole family.” Lord Dagos replied. “My lady.” he bowed to Lady Lyra.

The Lady of Starfall smiled and replied with a curtsy. Then Lord Dagos noticed Allyria... He told nothing, just rolled his eyes. At first the Daynes thought he did it because of her graceless clothing – the little girl wore trousers and a shirt – but actually he had a very different reason. Finally, he began to speak following a long and awkwardly speechless moment.

“The children should go and play together, while we are talking about our business.” he said.

Lord Beric didn’t say a word, so the little girl was happy. The adults went into the castle with the babies and the two children remained at the court.

Ser Daron gave to Allyria two wooden swords a day before and she hid them in a bush. Now she took them out and gave one of them to Mors.

“It’s yours.” she said.

The boy just stared at her and the sword.

“Girls don’t play with swords.” he said.

“Only stupid girls don’t play with swords.” Allyria replied. “I’m not like them.”

“You are not like a girl, but you are not a boy.” Mors stated. “What the Seven Hells are you?”

“I’m a knight.” she replied. “Shall I say, I’m the hero who defeats the White Walkers with a flaming sword and saves the world.”

“You cannot be a hero.” he said. “You’re just a girl... A girl cannot be a hero.”

“Alright, I will be a White Walker and you will be the hero.” She provided again one of the wooden swords to him. “Come on, take the sword!”

Mors took the sword. Just as he took that, Allyria attacked him and they were fencing for about half of an hour.

***

“So, my lord, you want me to betroth my firstborn son and heir to your daughter?” Lord Dagos asked with wide eyes open.

“Yes, my lord.” Lord Beric replied. “It would be favorable for both of House Dayne and House Manwoody.”

“No way.” the younger lord said determinedly. “My son will never marry a Sand.”

“A what?” the Lord of Starfall almost died when he heard that word. _How the Seven Hells he knows that?_

“A Sand.” Lord Dagos repeated. “I’m not blind nor completely idiot. This little girl is not Lady Lyra’s. Everyone can see that she despises her.”

“Allyria is my legitime daughter by my wife!” Lord Beric lied with an anger. It was so strange to see this calm and noble man this way.

“House Dayne is famous for the pale, ashy colored hair and violet eyes of the members and all the Blackmonts I have known in my lifetime, and I have known a lot, all of them have chocolate brown hair and blue eyes like turquoise.” said the head of the House Manwoody. “One of my father’s aunts, Lady Elora was married to the late Lord Blackmont. They had more children together and all of them had the Blackmont coloring. You know, one of her daughters is your wife. But this little girl… she cannot be the child of a Dayne and a Blackmont!

“She is!”

“She is not. I’m sorry, my lord, but I think, she is your bastard and takes after her real mother, maybe a servant.” Lord Dagos told his theory.

“No!” shouted Lord Beric. “She doesn’t take after her mother at all! Ashara was beautiful!”

In the next moment he realized what he said. It was too late, Lord Dagos had already known the truth about Allyria’s mother, and it was only his fault. He felt so guilty.

“Till this moment I thought that gossip about Lady Ashara was a lie.” said the lord of Kingsgrave. “This little girl must be her stillborn bastard daughter who is actually alive.”

“Lord Dagos, please, never tell anyone that Ashara had a bastard!” the shattered father prayed. “Please, keep it a secret! House Dayne will always be thankful for your silence.”

“I will,” Lord Dagos said “but I have a condition.”

“What would it be?” the Lord of Starfall asked.

“You forget the actual reason why you invited me and my family here.” said the younger man. “My son will never be betrothed to your daughter’s bastard.”

“Of course, they will be never betrothed to each other.” Lord Beric nodded. “It was the worst idea ever, I do not want to disgrace your House.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is known that a bastard is not the best choice for the heir of a noble house... if some shippers like the idea of Allyria/Mors, they can write their own story about it, but I want Allyria to end up with her canon lover, the cute Beric Dondarrion, so she will. :)


	7. Flaming Swords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allyria doesn't get along with Mors but she try to impress him by making fire. She also wants to play the legendary Battle of the Dawn... Of course, Lord Dayne is not impressed by this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry but there are no White Walkers nor real heroes with real swords burning in this chapter, only two children of five play with fire and wooden swords...

AC 289, half an hour later

Mors struck the sword out of Allyria’s hand. It was the third time in this half an hour. He laughed and it hurt her.

“You have cheated!” she whined.

“No, I’m just better than you.” the boy replied. “You are just a girl and boys have been always better than girls, and we will be forever.”

“You are stupid!” she yelled.

“I’m just naturally better!” he talked back.

“Bastard!” she yelled and sprang at him and thumped him.

“Stop!” he yelled, but she didn’t stop.

The two children were fighting each other, during this they yelled. Ser Daron ran out to the court, when he heard the discord. When he saw the children, he ran to them and separated them.

“What the Seven Hells was that?” he asked angrily. “Why do you behave like animals?”

“He said I’m lame.” Allyria whined.

“Because you are!” Mors shouted. “And you are a fool!”

“Shut your face!”

“Stop!” Ser Daron yelled. “Don’t act like this, play like good children!”

“She called me a bastard!” Mors complained.

The knight looked at Allyria frowning.

“This word is very rude!” he said. “Don’t use it again and ask for his forgiveness!”

“No, he called me lame!” the little girl talked back.

“I have never called you lame, I just said that boys are better fighters than girls!” Mors whined.

“But you said I’m a girl, so it means the same!” said Allyria.

“No!”

“It does!”

“Stop this, children, or I close both of you into different rooms alone!” Ser Daron shouted. “Apologize to each other and play something else!”

Both of the children were disappointed, but they followed the advice.

“I’m sorry for calling you a bastard.” Allyria said.

“I’m sorry for telling you are so bad.” Mors said.

Ser Daron was satisfied and looked at them with a smile. “Go and play some normal game and do not fight anymore!” he said.

“Yes, Ser Daron!” said the children at the same time.

The knight went back to the castle and the kids remained alone at the court.

“What should we do?” Allyria asked.

“I don’t know.” Mors replied. “Is there anything, that you would like to play?”

“What about making fire?” she asked with a naughty smile.

“I have never made fire.” he said.

“No problem, I know, how to do it!” she vaunted.

“Why?” he asked. “Have you ever done it? Have you ever made fire?”

“Yep, of course.” Allyria replied. “I came to realize how to do it by myself.”

“When?” Mors asked out of curiosity.

“At age three, after Ned was born and no one looked after me.” she said.

“Who is Ned?” he asked.

“The baby of Alfrid and Eleyna.” she answered.

“His name is Edric!” he said uncomprehendingly.

“Edric is a good name for a maester or a septon, but not for a knight.” Allyria explained. “A warrior needs a stronger name. Ned is good enough for a warrior, but Edric is not.”

“And what if he will not be a warrior?” Mors asked.

“He must be.” she replied. “Septa Welma said that one day Ned would be the Lord of Starfall and every lord must be a warrior. Maesters and septons cannot defend a castle but warriors can.”

“Maybe you are right.” the boy said surprisingly.

“I’m always right.” she smiled.

“Will you show me how to make fire?” he asked.

“Yep.” she said and ran to the bushes. He followed her.

Allyria searched for some suitable sticks on the ground. When she found them, she took them up and turned to Mors with a triumphant smile.

“They will be perfect.” she said. “Now look and learn!” She sat on the ground and rubbed the sticks against each other. Some moments later a weak smoke, than a small flame appeared on the sticks.

“It looks great!” Mors smiled.

“Yep,” Allyria said “fire is beautiful. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

She stood up and made a step closer to the boy. “Do you want to try it?” she asked.

“I don’t know…” he replied. “I do not think making another fire is a good idea.”

“Are you afraid?” the girl asked.

“No!” he said. “I’m just…”

“You just hate the fact that there is something a girl does better than you.” Allyria finished the phrase instead of him.

“Is it your problem again?” asked Mors unfriendly. “You said you are not like the other girls.”

“Yep, it is true, but I’m still a girl.” she said and took up her sword form the ground. “What about fencing again?”

“I don’t fight with a girl.” he said. “You are lame at fighting.”

“But now you will be the White Walker and I will be the hero and will defeat you!” she yelled and put her sword’s point into the flames. The wood burst into fire immediately.

“I think it’s a very bad idea.” Mors said frightenedly.

“You fear!” Allyria stated and tried to attack the boy.

Mors ran away yelling and she ran after him. She was yelling too. The flames on the wooden sword became bigger and bigger and finally the whole blade burned. At the moment, when Lord Dagos and Lord Beric stepped outside the castle, they just stared at their children without breathing. Mors ran to his father and he was whining.

“She is crazy! Go home, daddy, I don’t want to play with her!”

Allyria stopped. She felt the heat of the fire on her hand. It was so warm and she knew, she had to drop the sword, but she couldn’t help.

“Drop this sword!” Lord Beric roared.

She was just standing and looking at her ‘father’, then the flaming sword in her hand. The flames were so close to her hand! The man began to run towards her. She was so helpless for a moment, then the fire reached her hand. Finally, she dropped the sword with a scream and began to cry.

Lord Beric picked her up and took her into the castle. When they were inside, he put down her and strongly hit her on the bottom. She just cried louder.

“Shut up, pup!” he yelled. “I have told you several times not to play with the fire!”

“I have just wanted to be the hero who defeats the White Walkers!” she snuffed.

“You will never be a hero, but you will burn to ashes, if you play with fire!” the man said. “Good children do not play with fire, neither girls nor boys!”

Allyria just continued crying. Lord Beric bent down to her and took her injured hand. It was not a serious damage, but caused her pain.

“Maester Harwyn will heal it.” he said.

“But what if he cannot?” she asked.

“This burn will remind you not to play with the fire anymore.” he answered. “Fire is not a toy. And you will not eat with us today.”

“I never eat with you.” Allyria said.

“And you will never do.” her grandfather replied.

“Why?” she asked.

“You are not good.” Lord Beric said. “Bad children should never eat with their family, and now stop asking anything.”

He took Allyria to Maester Harwyn, then he went back to the guests.


	8. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Dayne's brother died and the whole family travels to take part in the funeral... except Allyria, of course. Some months after they arrived home Lady Dayne also dies...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Valar morghulis!

AC 289, later in the year

A few months after the Manwoodys visiting Lord Beric received a raven from High Heritage. It was sad news, Ser Samwell Dayne, his brother died after a long illness. The lord of Starfall was devastated. After the first shock he decided to leave the castle to Ser Daron and travel immediately to High Hermitage with his whole family… except Allyria.

Some days later the child realized that her family disappeared. It was both frightening and fantastic, there was no one to punish her, but… they were her family. At first, she enjoyed the freedom. She climbed up the plum tree, then she beat the guards with her newest wooden sword, at last she made a fire at the court. This time she put nothing in it. She had already known it was dangerous and didn’t want to get a new burn.

“Where are daddy and mum?” she asked Septa Welma, when she got bored with freedom. “And where are Alfrid and Eleyna and the little Ned?”

“They travelled to High Hermitage.” her tutor answered. “Maybe they’ll come home in two weeks.”

“Why did they travel there?” asked the child.

“Lord Beric received a raven some days ago. Your uncle died.” the septa said.

Allyria’s eyes brightened up. “It’s so great that Uncle Gerold died!” she yelled happily.

It sounded so weird for Septa Welma. She was completely shocked. “Don’t say such a terrible thing!” she put her in her place.

“But Uncle Gerold was so evil!” Allyria whined.

“Yes, he was but it’s an evil thing to celebrate someone’s death.” the septa said. “If you are being evil, you are not better than him.”

“But I won’t cry for him, I have hated him!” the little girl said.

Septa Welma realized that she would never change Allyria’s mind, so she stopped explaining what is good and what is bad. _Maybe it would be better if Lord Beric did that,_ she thought.

***

Two weeks later the Daynes arrived home. Everyone was so sad, and Allyria didn’t understand why.

“Uncle Gerold was evil and ugly, why are you sad?” she asked her grandfather.

“I’m sad, because my only brother died.” Lord Beric answered. “His son, your uncle is alive and has an excellent health.”

It was like a painful stroke of lightning for Allyria. _Uncle Gerold is alive… oh no!_ She began to cry.

“Don’t cry.” his grandfather said. “You did not know my brother Sam.”

“It’s so sad, that he died and Uncle Gerold is alive!” the little girl snuffled. “I wish your brother was alive and Uncle Gerold was dead!”

“You hate him, don’t you?” he asked but he knew the answer and the reason.

“Yep!” she replied. “I hate him more than shit!”

Lord Beric looked at his granddaughter. He was embarrassed, didn’t know that this situation was just awkward or he should be angry at her.

“Don’t use words like this!” he said definitely.

“Which word should I not use?” Allyria asked with wide eyes open.

“Who taught you that word?” Lord Beric asked.

“Do you mean ‘shit’?” she asked.

“Yes.” he said with some anger in his voice.

“I heard it from the guards.” the little girl replied.

“From this day I forbid you to speak them!” the lord commanded. “I don’t want you to be as vulgar as your… as that… as that man in black cloak!”

He left Allyria alone and went into his room, locked the door with the key.

***

Some months later the bells ringed loudly in Starfall. Alfrid sat at the window and buried his face into his hands. It was the most tragic day of his life. First, he lost his brother Arthur during the war. Eddard Stark killed him in a combat, when he wanted to take home his sister Lyanna. Then he lost a wife and a newborn son. It was worse, he felt this time it was the worst thing ever. Then he lost his sister. Ashasra died in childbed and her bastard survived. It was a shame for the whole House Dayne.

Alfrid thought that he was strong, because he didn’t cry at their funerals. But it ended. At that moment he was completely shattered, and wiped the tears covering his face. Maester Harwyn told him ten minutes before, that Lady Lyra Dayne, originally of House Blackmont, the Lady of Starfall, his mother died.

Eleyna went to her husband and sat next to him. She put her hand on his shoulder and talked to him in a soft voice. “I feel so sorry for your loss, my lord.”

A door opened and Lord Beric came into the room. He was more shattered than his son. His brother died few months ago, and this day he lost his wife, the woman who was always with him in the last thirty-seven years and gave him three legitimate children.

Alfrid stood up and went to his father and hugged him. It was this moment, when Septa Welma stepped into the room. She held Edric in her arms and Allyria followed them. Eleyna looked at the newcomers and got into a hysterical state.

“Why is this here?” she asked with an anger as she pointed to the black-haired child. Before someone could answer her question, she continued. “It does not belong to our family! Remove this bastard!”

“Eleyna, keep quiet!” told Lord Beric in a calm but determined voice. “She is my daughter, your husband’s youngest sister, not a bastard! I am the Lord of Starfall, the head of House Dayne and I have allowed her to stay here.”

Eleyna looked at her father-in-law angrily, but she said nothing. She turned her head toward the window and looked out to the court.

“Why are we here?” little Allyria asked.

“It is the tradition.” her grandfather said sadly. “Your mother died.”

The little girl was confused. She knew only a little about death, nothing more than if someone died, he would never wake up again. It was the point of the death, but now she felt that she didn’t understand.

“Is she really dead?” she asked.

“Yes.” Lord Beric replied quietly.

“I didn’t kill her.” she said shyly.

“No, this time you did nothing,” he said “but now go back to your room!”

***

It wasn’t fair. Allyria did nothing against Lady Lyra, but she had to sit alone in her room. Why? She was thinking about it, when the door opened. Lord Beric came into her room.

“What happened?” she asked.

“You know…” he replied. “Your mother is dead. And please do not tell that you did not kill her, I know this time you are innocent.”

“What does it mean that she’s really dead?” the little girl asked.

“You will not see her anymore.” said her grandfather. “She will not tell you bedtime stories, she will not hug you anymore, she will not kiss you anymore.”

“She never did them.” Allyria said.

“Yes, but she was very caring with Edric.” the lord said. “He is a good child, you are not.”

This thing that being a good or a bad child was terribly boring for her. What is meant by being a good child? And being a bad child? She was really fed up with this topic. A woman who never loved her died. It wouldn’t change anything about her life.

“I think nothing will change” the child said with a convincement.

“You are wrong…” he told her. “From now on everything will be completely different.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lady Dayne was never close to her granddaughter, moreover she hated her because of her illegitimacy and Ashara's death. I suppose not Allyria is the only one who will not miss her...


	9. Ashara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allyria finds a picture of her real mother. Alfrid gets into trouble, he must speak about Ashara to his niece...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The woman in the picture is Ashara.

AC 290, in the first part of the year

Things were changing a lot while months were passing away. The weather became hotter and hotter, people in the castle behaved more and more strange, and strangers came and left without meeting Allyria. She saw them only from the window of her room. Maybe the only thing that didn’t change was she wasn’t allowed to meet anyone.

Allyria was surprised when she saw her father and the whole family dressed in black first time. She knew a lot about the Night’s Watch, Septa Welma said that they had been defending the Seven Kingdoms from the White Walkers since long centuries. The little girl thought they were real heroes but her grandfather said all of them were bad people, killers, thieves, robbers and rapers. According to him, they deserved to be despised. Of course, Allyria didn’t agree with him.

“Why do you wear black?” she asked her grandfather one day.

“I’m mourning my wife” he answered. “Black is the color of mourning.”

“But once you said that people in black cloak are bad people.” she said uncomprehendingly.

“I have never said that.” the man said. “I told you that members of the Night’s Watch are bad people. All of them are criminals.”

“Do you know anyone who is in the Night’s Watch?” Allyria asked.

Lord Beric would like to say yes and tell her the truth about her relation with House Stark, but he couldn’t do that, because this information would be too confusing for a child of six. He lied instead.

“No.”

“Why do you think that everyone is bad in the Night’s Watch?” asked the child.

“Do you think that people who kill other people, steal money or horses and dishonor women are not bad people?” her grandfather asked.

“Not really.” she replied. “If someone killed Uncle Gerold, he should be a good man. But I want to kill him.”

“And what about the man who killed your brother?” he asked.

“He’s a bad man.” she said. “Is he in the Night’s Watch?”

“No, he’s not.”

“There are a lot of bad men who are not in the Night’s Watch.” Allyria stated. “And there are heroes in the Night’s Watch who defend us from the White Walkers.”

“White Walkers do not exist.” Lord Beric said. “Only northern people tell stories about them to frighten the children.”

Allyria didn’t want to accept that White Walkers and heroes who defeat them were only in tales. Lord Beric didn’t want to have a controversy with his granddaughter, so he left her alone.

***

Some days later Allyria noticed that Lord Beric wasn’t in Starfall. She desperately searched for him everywhere in the castle, but didn’t find him. She was scared and thought that he died like Lady Lyra. Finally, she went into his room and closed the door.

As she looked on the wall behind the great yellow wooden desk, she noticed a painting. It was a quite big painting about a beautiful young woman, the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She wore a long lilac dress and had long brown hair. Her smile was enchanted and all of her features were perfect. Her eyes were the most haunting on her, they were as violet, almost purple as Lord Beric’s and Alfrid’s.

Allyria was just standing and staring at the woman in the painting when the door opened. Alfrid came into the room. When he saw his bastard niece watching the only picture about his late sister, he panicked. His father didn’t prepare him for what he should tell to the little girl, if she asked something.

“What the Seven Hells are you doing?” he asked scared to death.

Allyria winced when she heard his voice. She turned towards her uncle and looked at him shyly. She couldn’t say a word.

“Go out!” Alfrid yelled and pointed at the door.

Allyria just blinked.

“I’ve told you to go out!” her uncle repeated.

“Why?” she asked finally.

“Because it’s father’s room and he did not allow you to stay here.” he answered.

“But he is not here.” she said. “Has he died too?”

“No, he has just travelled to the Water Gardens.” Alfrid said.

“Why?” Allyria asked.

“He did not tell me.” he replied. “He does his own business. My business is taking care of Starfall while he is away.”

“Alright.” she said and turned towards the painting again. “Who is she?”

Alfrid didn’t know what he should answer. Since Ashara died, they had not spoken much about her. Allyria had known only a few about her real mother. She thought she was her elder sister who committed suicide when Eddard Stark told her that he married another woman and had children with her. Alfrid wasn’t as strong as his father, truth and lie were mixed with each other in his mind.

“Who is she?” Allyria repeated the question. “Don’t you know?”

“She’s your mother.” he said finally. He should lie, but he told the truth instead.

“It’s not she.” the little girl said. “Mum was as old as daddy.”

Alfrid realized that he made a mistake, but it was too late. What a luck, that Ashara had the same brown hair as Lady Lyra! “She was young, when this painting was made.” he said in an uncertain voice.

“She was beautiful.” Allyria said staring at the painting.

“Yes, she was.” her uncle agreed.

“I haven’t remembered the true color of her eyes.” the little girl said sadly.

“She had blue eyes.” Alfrid said. “Not as pale as Eleyna’s and not as violet as mine, but green-blue.”

“You lied!” the child yelled. The blood in his veins became cold. “You told me this woman is my mother but she has violet eyes like yours!”

“This woman is Ashara, my sister, and she died, so don’t speak about her like a living person!” Alfrid shouted then he realized he made a mistake again.

Allyria just stared at him. She was completely confused. She didn’t understand what was going on. Alfrid had to make something up quickly. He took some deep breath, then he tried to fix what he had messed up.

“Sorry, I told you nonsense. The woman in the painting is Ashara, our sister who looked like our mother so much. Mother in her youth looked the same, only their eye color was different.”

“Actually, what happened to Ashara?” little Allyria asked.

“She died.” answered her uncle.

“I have been aware of it.” she said. “When did she die?”

“In the same year when you were born.”

“And how did she die?”

It was a hard question again. Alfrid hadn’t known the whole story, which Wylla told Allyria, just the fact that she told her that Ashara killed herself when Eddard Stark told her he had chosen another woman.

“She was in love with a man.” he said. “One day he told her he married someone else, so her heart was broken and she killed herself.”

“I have known about it.” Allyria said. “How did she kill herself actually?”

“You have just said you know how she died.” the man said nervously.

“I said that I knew why, not how!” she whined.

“I guess, she went down to the coast and drown herself into the sea.” he replied.

“Wylla told me, she jumped off the Palestone Sword Tower!” she yelled. “It’s not located at the coast. Why do you always lie?”

“I don’t know how!” Alfrid yelled panicky. “I don’t remember! I was shocked… and… Wylla… she wasn’t there… or… I don’t remember! Now leave me alone, and get out of this room!”

His reaction was frightening for Allyria. She was just staring at him with scared eyes. The man took her up and put her out of the room. When she was outside, he locked the door with the key.


	10. Fight like a knight, eat like a lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Dayne returns home and he changes his mind a little bit about his granddaughter first time in his life. He lets her learn to fight if she learns to eat properly.

AC 290, the second part of the year

Lord Beric was away almost for a half year. He arrived a day earlier than he planned and found Allyria at the court. She was wearing a little gambeson over her clothes, holding a smaller sparring sword in her right hand and fencing with Ser Daron.

“Welcome, my lord.” the knight said when he saw the lord and bowed to him. “We thought…”

“I’ve come a day earlier.” Lord Beric interrupted him. “What the Seven Hells are you doing with this child?”

“I’m teaching her how to fight at Lord Alfrid’s command.” Ser Daron answered.

“Why did my son command you this?” the lord asked.

“He did not say, but the little lady was so glad when I started it about five months ago.” the castellan said.

“Do you want to see how good I am at it?” Allyria asked with a happy smile.

“No.” her grandfather replied destroying her happiness. “Girls should not play with swords.”

“Excuse me, my lord, but the little lady has a talent for fighting and she really enjoys it.” Ser Daron said.

“We will talk about it.” said the lord, then he got off his horse and came into the castle.

***

Alfrid stayed in his father’s room and sat by the big yellow wooden desk. He was writing a letter to his father-in-law when his father entered. Alfrid raised his head when he saw the Lord of Starfall. He stood up and greeted him with a bow.

“My lord,” he said “I thought, you would come the next day.”

“I do not need this politeness, my son.” Lord Beric said. “Why did you allow the bastard to play knight?”

“Some days after you went away, she came into this room and saw this painting of Ashara.” Alfrid pointed at the painting while he was complaining. “She kept asking questions, too many awkward questions. I could not give answers well enough. I thought if I allowed her to learn to fight, she would play with swords and would not ask any awkward questions.”

“You are a fool, my son.” the lord said. “Because of your foolishness, now Starfall is the only place in the Seven Kingdoms where a daughter learns to fight.”

“No one has to know it.” Alfrid said. “The world knows only a little of this child. No one knows that she’s actually a bastard, so no one will know that she learns to fight.”

“You are wrong.” Lord Beric said, while he began walking in the room. “Lord Dagos Manwoody knows that she is Ashasra’s bastard and I do not trust him.”

“Pardon?” his son asked.

“Lord Dagos Manwoody just looked at her and he has known, that she is a bastard.” the older man explained. “You know I wanted to betroth this daughter to his son but he refused.”

“And now who did you want to betroth her to?” Alfrid asked. “To a Martell son or maybe an Yronwood?”

“To no one.” his father replied. “I have admitted betrothing her to anyone would be a terrible idea. This bastard never will be a lady. If years later some young man has a crazy idea to marry her, I will accept it, but I will not offer her up to anyone.”

“And what if someone wants her because of her name?” the heir of Starfall asked. “House Dayne is one of the oldest and most noble Houses in whole Westeros, a Dayne daughter sounds like a good choice for any young knight or heir.”

“But not Allyria” Lord Beric said. “Do not worry about it, my son, I’m the lord of Starfall, it is my business.”

***

Lord Beric brought gifts for his family. Little Edric received a wooden horse figure, Alfrid received an ornate book about the particular history of the Westeros and Eleyna received a beautiful golden dress. Allyria received nothing, of course, so she was really disappointed. She was sitting in her room next to the fireplace and crying. _Why does daddy hate me?_ The door opened and her ‘father’ came in.

“Don’t cry, daughter.” he said.

“Why do you hate me?” she asked while she was wiping her tears. “You brought gifts for everyone except for me.”

“We have talked about it.” he said. “You are a bad child.”

“Why am I a bad child?” she asked arrogantly. “You have never answered it!”

“Because of this…” her grandfather said. “You are ill-mannered, you behave like a bad lowborn boy and use rude words.”

“Your problem is I use sword. I hate girlish pursuits and I don’t want to be a lady!” Allyria yelled. “You cannot forbid me to fight, it’s the only thing I really like to do and I’m good at this! I can forsake every stupid gift and this stupid family, I can forsake all of your love, but I won’t forsake fighting and my sword!”

Lord Beric slapped her in the face. “Shame on you, daughter!” he yelled then he left.

***

Next morning Allyria didn’t want to get up. She was just lying among her pillows and Septa Welma couldn’t get her out of the bed. The woman worried about her, so she spoke with her grandfather.

“She will be hungry soon and get up” he replied coldly. “I do not think she could stay in bed for a whole day.”

The septa took some food into the little girl’s room, but she didn’t want to eat.

“Why don’t you eat?” the woman asked.

“I don’t eat until daddy lets me fight.” Allyria answered.

The desperate Septa Welma didn’t know what she should do, so she searched for Ser Daron and asked him for help. After this the knight decided to speak with the lord.

Lord Beric went into Allyria’s room after speaking with the castellan.

“Why are you here?” asked the little girl disrespectfully.

“I was thinking,” he said “and I’m willing to let you learn to fight unless you behave like a beast.”

“Really?” she asked and her face lit up.

“Yes.” he answered. “But now it’s time to wash yourself then eat something.”

“Alright.” the child approved.

After a servant washed Allyria and dressed her into clean clothes, Lord Beric returned to her room.

“Come, daughter.” he said.

“Where do we go?” she asked with wide eyes open.

“To have lunch.” he replied.

“But…” Allyria didn’t understand it, because she would always eat in her room alone.

“My daughter will eat by my table with my family.” Lord Beric explained.

It was so scary for the child to eat with the members of House Dayne. She had never eaten by a table with other people before. When they entered the dining hall of the castle, everyone had been sitting on their places. When they noticed Allyria, they didn’t seem to be happy.

“Why is she here?” asked Alfrid.

“She must learn to eat like a lady of a noble House.” his father said.

“You lied” Allyria said. “I don’t want to be a lady.”

“If you want to continue learning to fight, you must learn to eat like a highborn lady.” Lord Beric said determinedly.

“But what if I don’t eat like a lady?” the child asked.

“You will not fight until you cannot eat like a lady.” he answered.

“Alright.” she said sadly.

They sat to the table. Allyria got the place right from her grandfather. Eleyna didn’t like this fact and she wanted to say something, but Alfrid took her hand. “Calm down, my lady.” he said. “My father is the lord of Starfall, and if he says that her place is on his right side, it’s her place.”

The table was too high for Allyria, so she needed some big book on her chair to sit on. She had already known spoon, and Septa Welma taught her how to hold it, but it wasn’t easy in this new situation. Her hand wavered, so bit of the soup landed on the tablecloth. Lord Beric looked at her. She tried to eat normally, but it wasn’t successful. Whenever she missed something, he hit her head with his spoon.

“Why do you do this?” she asked after the third hit.

“I want you to learn to eat properly.” he answered. “If you eat properly, I will not hit you.”

The next dish needed to be eaten with a fork. Allyria had never seen a fork before, she had eaten always with her hands. Now she couldn’t do that. This time she tried to do it, but Lord Beric hit her head with his fork. She was much clumsier with a fork than with a spoon, so she got more hit.

“I cannot see how this… this pup rummages in the food!” Eleyna said nervously. “My lord, please send it back to its lair!”

“She’s my daughter.” Lord Beric put her in her place. “She must learn to eat. If you do not agree to this, you can go back to your room, Lady Eleyna.”

Allyria smiled, but she missed another bite and got her hit for it. She didn’t surrender, because she knew it’s the price of being a skilled warrior one day.


	11. Talking dirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allyria flees from her septa and meets a strange man at the coast. He's a sellsword and uses a quite explicit language. (Guess who?) Of course, Lord Dayne hates so much that his granddaughter uses some words she heard from this sellsword.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, finally Bronn appeared in the story! I hope I could describe his character good enough.

AC 292, first part of the year

A year and some other month passed without any notable happening. Allyria learnt to eat properly and continued learning to fight. She became a better and better sword, and there was less problem with her. Lord Beric had to realize that letting her learn to fight was the best decision.

One day Ser Daron received a raven from Kingsgrave. Lord Dagos wrote him, because one of their old relatives died. The castellan of Starfall spoke with the lord, who let him travel to the funeral.

Without her instructor of fighting Allyria felt bored. She spent again a lot of time alone and Lord Beric worried that she would make trouble again. He sent for Septa Welma immediately and commanded her to make the child busy. Poor septa tried everything to attract her attention, but her tales weren’t enough for her. One day she came into her room with a lot of materials of clothes and some needles. Allyria looked at her.

“Do you sew me new trousers and shirts?” she asked.

“Yes, but not alone.” Septa Welma answered.

“Which servant will help you?” the child asked.

“None of them,” the woman said “you will help me. I’ll teach you how to do it.”

Sewing was one of the several pursuits that Allyria found inferior because mostly women do it. She became really angry with the septa. It’s alright that her ‘father’ wanted her to eat properly because he eats properly too but sewing was too much for her.

“No!” she yelled furiously.

“Why?” Welma asked.

“I won’t do stupid girlish things!” the little girl yelled.

“You’re growing like weed, I cannot sew you enough clothes.” said the septa. “Sometimes I feel like I’m not a septa but a tailor.”

“Ask a servant to help you if you feel it’s too much for you.” Allyria advised her.

“I could do this but I want you to help me, these will be your clothes.” the woman said.

“I’ve said no.” the little girl emphasized.

“You won’t be always a child and I won’t be always your tutor.” Septa Welma said. “You must learn to sew if you insist on wearing male clothes because there is no tailor who sews them for girls.”

“I don’t care, I won’t waste my day on girlish pursuits like sewing!” yelled Allyria then she took her sparred sword and ran out of her room.

Septa Welma tried to follow her but she wasn’t fast enough. Allyria ran out to the court. The guards saw her but they let her run, none of them wanted to fight her. She left the court toward the coast but it was a problem for no one, everyone knew she wouldn’t disappear. She couldn’t swim and she didn’t like water, so she wouldn’t get into the sea and drown into it.

The septa asked the guards where the little girl went in vain, they told her nothing. They just didn’t want to hear the fight between the child and her tutor or the child and her grandfather, so they said nothing. The silence was sweet but rare, so they wanted to enjoy it.

***

Finally, Allyria reached the coast. It was the first time when she left the court and she felt a bit lost. This wrong feeling went away soon because as she walked among the stones toward the sea, she heard a man singing the popular song ‘The Dornishman’s Wife’. She knew this song because the soldiers always sang it but she didn’t like that so much.

She started walking toward the voice. After some steps she noticed the man who was singing. He was a tall man sitting on a stone and sharpening his sword. He had swept-back brown hair and stubble of beard and his nose seemed to have been broken at least four or five times. He looked as unusual with his fair skin and strange clothes as she did.

“Can you sing another song?” Allyria asked.

The man raised his head and looked at her. He had clear blue eyes.

“What the fuck does a northern child do alone in Dorne?” he asked.

Allyria didn’t understand first then she realized he thought she was from the North because of her clothing. His clothes also looked rather northern than dornish.

“Are you from the North?” she asked.

“Not really” he replied “but you are.”

“I was born in this castle and I’ve lived here in my whole life.” The child pointed at the Starfall castle. “My daddy is the lord.”

“Nice.” he said. “I’ve always wanted an own castle.”

“Build one!” she advised.

“It’s not so easy.” the man explained. “Castles aren’t built in a day. It takes long years and needs a lot of people I should pay for.”

“I see… marry a stupid lady in skirt who has one.” gave the child her second advise.

“Those wenches aren’t easy, either…” he moaned “some of them can be fucked, but none of them want to marry a sellsword.”

“Shit…” she said and was thinking for a while, then she yelled happily. “Kill someone who has a castle! What about Uncle Gerold? He has one. Kill him!”

“Why do you want me to kill him?” he asked. “Do you have some gold?”

“I don’t but my daddy has a lot.” she answered. “I can try to steal from him…”

“Come back if you succeed.” he said.

“Have you killed a lot of people?” she asked.

“Yes.” he answered.

“It’s great!” she yelled with bright eyes. “Have you gutted someone?”

“Gut someone?” he asked in surprise. “What a fucking little jerk you are!”

“What does ‘fucking’ mean?” asked the child with wide eyes open.

The sellword was confused for a moment, then he tried to answer the question. “Fucking means something completely wrong.”

“I see…” said Allyria “I’m not a fucking jerk, Uncle Gerold is. That’s why I want you to kill him.”

“I’ll kill him if you pay.” he said.

“I said I don’t have any gold but if you kill him, you’ll get his castle in High Hermitage.” the child said.

“It sounds good but how the fuck do I get this castle? I don’t think you have the fucking chance to decide about it.” he said “Your father is the lord and he will give it to someone in your fucking family, so I need gold before and after I kill your uncle.”

“And why do you want gold?” she asked.

“Because I’m a sellsword and sellswords need gold in exchange for their job” he explained. “There’s nothing for free.”

Allyria became sad when she heard this. She looked at the sellsword. “Will you be here tomorrow?” she asked.

“Maybe.” he answered.

“I’ll get gold and give it to you but…” said the child “How will I find you? What’s your name?”

“I’m Bronn.” the sellsword said. “You’ll find me in the town.”

“Alright…” she said uncertainly. “I’m going and getting some gold for you. Hi!”

The child ran away, back to the caste and left the man alone on the coast.

***

Allyria went into her grandfather’s room. Fortunately, he wasn’t there, so the little girl could research the room. She knocked down everything from the desk and gutted all the wardrobes. She found some valuable things but there was no gold.

Lord Beric entered the room and saw his granddaughter in the middle of the mess. He became really angry with her.

“What the Seven Hells are you doing?” he asked furiously.

“Sorry, daddy.” Allyria said with a hang-dog look. “I’ve just searched for some gold for the sellsword. Can you give me?”

“No way.” her grandfather yelled. “Which sellsword do you want to give them to?”

“Bronn.” she replied. “I met him on the coast.”

“Where?” he asked nervously.

“On the coast.” the child said. “I went there today.”

“You are not allowed to leave the court!” her grandfather yelled.

“But if I give him gold, he will kill Uncle Gerold!” whined Allyria.

“I know you hate him and I can understand it but he is your uncle, you don’t have the right to cause his death.” Lord Beric said.

“He must die because he’s a fucking jerk!” the child whined.

Her grandfather turned into stone for a moment then he slapped her in the face. “Don’t use words like this!” he roared.

The slap hurt Allyria, so she cried. Lord Beric took her arm and threw her out of the room.

“Shame on you!” he told her.

“Why?” she snuffled.

“You talk dirty.” he explained. “It is disgusting!”

“Bronn talks this way too.” Allyria said.

“He is just a sellsword and most likely lowborn.” Lord Beric said. “Lowborn people are not part of our society and sellswords are so vulgar. I want you not to speak with people like him anymore!”

Allyria just looked at him angrily.

“Now go to your room, child, and do not leave it until dinner.” her grandfather said then he went back into his room.


	12. The Bear and the Maiden Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allyria wants Bronn to kill her uncle Ser Gerold. The sellsword doesn't take the challenge but he keeps on having a 'bad influence' on her. He teaches her to steal apples and an improper song, finally he tells her he has been beyond the Wall...

AC 292, a day later

Allyria couldn’t wait to escape from the castle and meet Bronn. She really wanted Ser Gerold’s death and she had a success in the morning to steal a golden medal from Eleyna’s room. After lunch she asked Septa Welma to play hide and seek with her. While the woman was counting with closed eyes, Allyria hid in the court then she was waiting for the appropriate moment. When it arrived, she left the court unseen and went down to the coast.

When she arrived to the sea, Bronn wasn’t there. She despaired and began to shout. “Bronn! Where are you?” She didn’t get an answer but the guards heard her and she saw one of them pointed at her. She was afraid she would be taken back to the castle and she would get a confinement again, so she started to run towards the bridge. It wasn’t easy because of the stones.

Finally, she reached the bridge then she ran across this. She came into a small town near the castle. _The smallfolk who are despised by daddy must live here_ she thought. She went along a street and watched the people. They wore less elegant clothes than her family but their appearance was more or less dornish. Then she noticed the man who looked as foreign as she did.

“Bronn!” she yelled.

The sellsword put down his wooden cup of wine and looked at the dark skinned dornish whore who sat on his lap. “I’ll go back soon.” he said. “Go nowhere!”

“I’ll wait here!” she said while the man stood up and hit her on the bottom a bit.

Bronn went to Allyria and looked at the child. “I see, you’re here.” he said. “Where is my gold?”

“I’ve found only this.” she said and provided Eleyna’s golden medal to the sellsword.

“Pretty thing,” he said and took the medal “but not enough for killing someone.”

“I’ll get you more after you have killed Uncle Gerold.” Allyria said. “Eleyna has a lot of golden jewelry.”

“And what can I do with the jewelries?” Bronn asked.

“You can pay with them for new weapons” the child answered.

“I don’t need to buy any new weapons.” he said. “I have a lot and I always get new ones when I kill a man who has.”

“You can give it to your wife.” she said.

“I have no wife.” replied the sellsword.

“But that woman who has been with you?” she asked.

“She’s just a whore.” he said. “A golden medal is too much for her.”

“Why?” the child asked.

“Whores fuck men for gold.” the man explained.

“What does it mean?” she asked.

“She sleeps with men.” he told her. “She does it with other men every day. She can get similar medals from the wealthy ones. I’m not wealthy.”

“It’s so… it’s so terrible, that she sleeps with a lot of men every day.” Allyria was horrified.

“Every whore deserves only one golden coin per night, not more.” Bronn said. “This medal is worth at least a hundred golden coins or more.”

“Is it so much?” she asked curiously.

“Yes, it’s very much.” he answered.

“Why not enough for killing Uncle Gerold?” she asked.

“Because I’ve asked about him.” the sellsword said. “People told me that he’s called the Darkstar. He’s a strong and dangerous man and everyone fears him.”

“I do not.” Allyria said. “Tell me if you fear him, I will kill him!”

“You are very brave, aren’t you?” asked Bronn sarcastically.

“Braver than you, I think.” the child replied. “I don’t fear the fucking jerk called the Darkstar.”

“Reckless little one, I’m getting hungry for this…” said the man. “I must get some food now.”

He turned back, and walked along the streets as far as the market. Allyria followed him. When they arrived, Bronn stopped by a merchant selling apples. He took one and bit it. “It’s tasty.” he said while his mouth was full.

Allyria looked at him with big eyes. The man took another apple and threw to her. The child caught and bit it. “Yep.” she said also with a mouth full of apples.

“The two apples will be a copper penny.” the merchant told them.

“Do you have a copper penny?” asked Bronn.

“No.” Allyria nodded.

“No problem.” he said and took another apple.

“One copper penny and a halfpenny” corrected the merchant.

“It’s free” said the sellsword. He put the apple from his right hand to the left, and a moment later his right fist met the merchant’s nose.

“Thieves!” he yelled while he held his hand over his broken nose and tried to wipe the blood with a handkerchief.

People looked at Bronn but he just raised his sword up. Everyone continued what they had been doing before and didn’t deal with what the sellsword did.

“I like it!” said the man satisfied and he followed his way.

Allyria took two apples quickly and ran after Bronn. When she reached him, she gave him one of the apples. He looked questioningly at her.

“You said you were hungry.” she said.

“Thanks” he replied and bit the apple.

The child was eating the other one while they were walking around the town.

“I think I’m getting thirsty.” he said. “Let’s go to the pub!”

Soon they found one and entered. Allyria had never been to a place like this before. There were more tables full of smallfolk people drinking. At one of the tables a bunch of peasants was singing a song.

_“A bear there was a bear, a bear  
All black and brown and covered in hair  
Three boys, a goat and a dancing bear  
They danced and spun up to the fair…”_

“Sing with them!” Allyria asked Bronn.

“Why?” the sellsword asked.

“Because you can sing and I like that song!” the child said.

“Do you know that?” he asked.

“I’ve just heard it for the first time” she replied “but I want to learn it by heart.”

“Alright.” he said and he joined the singing peasants by the next refrain.

_“From there to here! From here! To there!  
All black and brown and covered in hair!  
He smelled that girl on the summer air!  
The bear! The bear!  
The maiden fair!”_

“Once again!” yelled one of the peasants when they finished the song.

This time everyone in the pub was singing. Allyria felt so good, better than before in her young life anytime. She sang with the drunken smallfolk and laughed when the song finished. Two whores came to them.

“Cute little thing.” said one of them. “Is she your bastard?”

“Nope.” Bronn replied. “I’m just looking after her while her father is on the Wall.”

“He won’t return, I think.” said the whore and sat on his lap. “So, you raise her.”

“What’s her name?” asked the other whore.

Bronn was confused, he hadn’t asked the child’s name yet.

“Allyria.” she replied instead of him. “Allyria is my name.”

“Aye, Allyria…” said the sellsword but he seemed so strange and was thinking for some moments. “Fuck!” he yelled. “Now I remember, he told me that name when he spoke about Starfall…”

“Who?” the little girl asked.

“The First Ranger of the Night’s Watch.” he answered.

“Do you know him?” she asked with wide eyes open.

“Yep. I met him and some of his people when I was beyond the fucking Wall.” Bronn told the girls. “I was there for work, some smuggler paid me for protection.”

“Did you meet the White Walkers too?” Allyria asked.

“Nope.” he said. “The White Walkers are only in scary tales.”

The child was disappointed. She hoped that someone shared her belief in the White Walkers. The whore who asked her name got her out from her lethargic state. “What about walking outside?” she asked and took the little girl’s hand.

Allyria nodded and stood up. When they reached the door, it opened and two soldiers from the castle stood outside. The child got frightened and hid under a table. The soldiers entered the pub and went to the bar for a drink without dealing with her.

The whore bended and looked questioningly at her. “They’re just Bob and Jack. Why are you scared of them?” she asked.

“We stole at the market this afternoon.” Allyria replied. She didn’t tell anything else… she didn’t tell that she belonged to House Dayne and lived in the castle. She didn’t want anyone to know about it because she feared Lord Beric’s reaction.

“Come, child” said the whore again.

Allyria crawled out from under the table. She stood up and left with the woman. They were walking along the street when a man yelled after them. “Hey, Daisy! I have something for you!”

Daisy stopped and turned towards him. “What do you have?” she asked.

The two were chatting and Allyria didn’t care about the topic. She ran back to the bridge and ran across that. She got back to the court when the sun was going down.

***

Lord Beric was waiting for his granddaughter. He became furious when he saw her. When Allyria noticed him, she stopped. She just stood riveted to the earth and had no idea what to tell him. Her grandfather went to her. She just looked at him with scared eyes but he cared about nothing and slapped her in the face.

“I have said you must not meet the smallfolk and sellswords!” he roared.

“I didn’t tell them I was a Dayne!” she snuffled.

“You are not a Dayne, not a true Dayne!” he yelled. “A true Dayne does not behave like you!”

“Smallfolk and sellswords are much funnier than all of the Daynes together!” she talked back.

“Go to your room!” Lord Beric commanded. “You won’t get dinner this evening, you do not deserve it!”

Allyria was angry. She went up to her room and shut the door. She dropped herself onto her bed and began to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bronn has a short but very important role in this story which will continue in the next chapter.


	13. The gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After she got her punishment for leaving the court, Allyria meets Bronn once again. The sellsword gives her some presents from a person who she shouldn't know about according to her grandfather...

AC 292, a month later

Allyria was in a month-long confinement after she was in the town. While she had to stay in her room, Ser Daron arrived back in Starfall. The little girl hoped that she could get out of her room and have fighting lessons again but Lord Beric was really furious with her and didn’t allow her to do so.

Finally, when that month passed, she got free again. She continued learning to fight but she had bad feelings and couldn’t focus. Ser Daron noticed that she was unusually deconcentrated.

“What is the problem?” he asked.

“Daddy doesn’t let me go down to the coast nor into the town.” the child replied.

“Why do you want to go there?” he asked.

“I have a friend, a sellsword who told me if I gave him enough gold, he would kill Uncle Gerold.” Allyria said.

“How did you meet that sellword?” Ser Daron frowned. “They are such dangerous people.”

“Bronn is not.” she said. “He taught me a song. Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes, I like songs.” he replied. The child began to sing.

_“A bear there was a bear, a bear  
All black and brown and covered in hair…”_

“Stop, little lady!” the knight said.

“Why?” she asked with disappointed eyes.

“It’s an improper song.” Ser Daron explained. “Lord Beric would be angry if he heard you singing this song.”

Allyria was very sad, she almost cried. “Daddy hates me and everything I do!” she snuffled.

“Don’t say it!” said the man empathically and put his hand on the child’s head and ruffled her hair. “Lord Beric does not hate you. If he did, he would not allow you to learn to fight.”

“Can you help me, Ser Daron?” she asked.

“Yes, of course.” the knight replied.

“Tomorrow I want to go down to the coast. If you go with me, daddy may not be angry.” she said.

“I will speak to him, if he allows, I will go with you.” he said.

“Thank you, Ser Daron.” Allyria smiled.

***

A day later Allyria and Ser Daron went down to the coast. Lord Beric gave them permission on condition that they stayed on the coast for at most half an hour. When they arrived at the sea, they weren’t alone. Bronn stood up from the stone he had been sitting on when he saw them.

“I thought you would never come here anymore.” he said.

“I was in confinement for a month.” Allyria said than she looked at her instructor. “Ser Daron, please stay here and wait for me.”

“I will be here but don’t forget, little lady, we have only ten minutes here.” the knight said.

“Thank you!” she said then went to the sellsword. “Sorry, I could not get any gold from Eleyna but tomorrow I will get you two or three medals.” she said.

“That’s a pity.” he replied. “Tomorrow I will leave Starfall and presumably I will never go back.”

“Why?” she asked sadly. “You should kill Uncle Gerold!”

“I think, it’s your business” he said. “You’ve said you don’t fear him.”

“Yes, it’s true, but I’ve given you a golden medal.” the child reminded him.

“Thank you, I may sell it for gold...” Bronn said. “but now for a while I have enough. The Lord of Starfall gave me a sack of golden coins to leave and never go back. He told me if I remained, he would get me hanged. I don’t want to be hanged. You have a really fucking family.”

“Yes, they are.” Allyria agreed.

“Before I go, I must give you something, just some gifts from the First Ranger of the Night’s Watch.” he said. “He asked me if I went to Dorne then I should go to Starfall and give you them.”

“You lie.” she said.

“No.” the sellsword replied. “He gave me some things, only some cheap shit and asked me to give them to you as nameday gifts.”

“Nameday gifts?” she asked. “I’ve never received any nameday gifts.”

“Shit.” Bronn commented. “How old are you?”

“Eight.” Allyria said. “Today is my eighth nameday.”

“He told me about half a year ago that you were about seven.” he said. “You truly were but now let me give you those craps.” He took out something packed in a shabby dark rag from underneath his doublet and gave that to the little girl. “It’s yours. Your nameday gift from the First Ranger.”

“Thanks.” she shouted happily. “If you meet him again tell him.”

“I don’t think I will meet him again.” said the sellsword. “I’m planning to stay in the South, maybe in the Reach or the Westerlands.”

Allyria didn’t make a secret of her disappointment and it made Bronn smile.

“Now I must go.” he said. “I stayed here more than I planned. I will get on a ship tomorrow morning and travel to Oldtown or the Arbor or somewhere else. Take care of yourself and kill your fucking uncle! And before I forget, have a happy nameday, child!”

He put his hand on her head and ruffled her hair then he started to go towards the bridge singing a song. It was neither ‘The Bear and the Maiden Fair’ nor the ‘Dornishman’s Wife’, Allyria had never heard that before. She just stood and saw him going away. Only for a short time she had a friend, a grown-up person who she admired.

Ser Daron went to her and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s time to go back to the castle, little lady.” he said.

***

When Allyria was alone in her room, she put down the shabby dark rag and untied it. There were three things in it, the most interesting one was a piece of shiny black and sharp glasslike stone, almost like a knife. She became so happy when she saw it and couldn’t stop smiling. She took this and watched it thoroughly. She didn’t notice when the door opened. Fortunately, it was only Septa Welma.

“Allyria, what are you doing?” she asked.

The little girl raised her head but she didn’t look at her. “I’ve received some nameday gifts.” she said and didn’t stop staring at the shiny black and sharp thing which had to be a sort of knife.

The septa went to her and sat down on the bed. She looked at Allyria and her gifts. She recognized the thing in her hands immediately. She got frightened and tried to take it from her, but the child didn’t allow.

“It’s mine!” she yelled. “I’ve gotten it from a friend!”

“I do not think that smallfolk children in the town play with dragonglass knives.” Welma said.

“My friend is not a child.” she replied. “He’s a sellsword from some place I don’t know but he travels to the Reach or the Westerlands tomorrow.”

“I remember Lord Beric forbid you to speak with soldiers, sellswords and the smallfolk.” the septa said.

“Actually, I’ve gotten this not from him, he just gave it to me.” the little girl explained. “I’ve received it from the First Ranger of the Night’s Watch. He knows my name and how old I am.”

This phrase was like a heart attack for the septa. Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn told her everything about Allyria and the fact about her real parents. She had known that the child knew nothing about it and Lord Beric commanded her to keep the awkward secret. Now she feared she would find the truth out by herself.

“What’s wrong?” Allyria asked.

“Nothing, keep on playing, I must speak with the lord.” the septa answered.

“Don’t tell him I have a knife!” the child asked her.

“I have to speak with him about other things.” the woman said and she stood up. “Stay here, I will go back soon!”

“I will go nowhere.” said the little girl cheekily. “My gifts are the most important.”

Septa Welma left, and Allyria remained alone in her room with her gifts. She put down the dragonglass knife and checked out her other two gifts. There were a piece of a rope and big iron buckle. _These two will make a great belt,_ she thought. She took the rag and put it around her left arm. Its color was undefinable, it might have been dark grey or dark brown in its better days. It was a quite ugly rag but Allyria found it more beautiful than all of the jewelry in the world. It was her nameday gift, the loveliest thing for her together with the knife, the rope and the buckle.

***

“My lord, I am so sorry, but we must speak!” Septa Welma said frightenedly. “It is about Allyria.”

“What has she done again?” the Lord of Starfall asked.

“She has received a nameday gift…” she said quaveringly “…a dragonglass knife.”

“A what?” asked the lord furiously.

“A dragonglass knife.” repeated the septa.

“Who the Seven Hells gave her this thing?” he asked.

“She has gotten it from the North.” she replied. “The First Ranger of the Night’s Watch gave it to a sellsword and sent him here to pass the knife to Allyria.”

“Calm down, septa!” Lord Beric said determinedly. “Go and tell Ser Daron to come here!”

“As you want, my lord.” Septa Welma said with a lame courtesy then she left.

Some minutes later Ser Daron entered the lord’s room. “You have sent someone for me, my lord.” he said.

“Ser Daron, you have a great knowledge about what is happening North from Dorne.” Lord Beric said. “Tell me, what do you know about the Night’s Watch? Who is the First Ranger now?”

“I’m not sure, my lord,” replied the knight “but if I’m not mistaken, the First Ranger in these days is Benjen Stark… _that_ Benjen Stark.”


	14. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Dayne tries to do everything to keep Allyria busy because he doesn't want her to think about the Night Watch. Ser Gerold visits Starfall and has a fight against Allyria. He injures her badly. When the maester tries to heal her, she asks him a favour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is canon typical violence in this chapter!!

AC 292, late in the year

More months passed since Allyria’s eighth nameday and some things changed in her life. The most markable was that Lord Beric was getting less and less prohibitory with her. First, and the most important fact was he didn’t confiscate her nameday gifts. He also allowed her to go down to the coast but not alone, Septa Welma and at least two guards always had to go with her.

The fighting lessons continued and Ser Daron got another duty, he had to teach Allyria to ride a horse. He chose an old applejack gelding named Silver from the stall. Silver was a good horse, a bit too big for the little girl but he was a very calm and friendly horse, she easily took a fancy to him.

Allyria stayed only few times in her room and didn’t have time to think about the Night’s Watch. That was Lord Beric’s aim and he was satisfied with its success.

Nothing lasts forever, this ideal situation ended a day in the end of the year. One day Ser Gerold came to Starfall. He wasn’t there since Lady Lyra’s funeral but that time he had to. Lord Beric’s sixtieth nameday was due a week later and he wanted to arrive before the other guests.

When Allyria saw her uncle, the anger took control over her. She ran into her room and took her dragonglass knife from underneath her pillow then she followed him in the corridors of the castle. She tried to be unseen and had a success. When Gerold stopped in front of a door, she attacked him quickly but she was too small and weak without any experience so the knight disarmed her easily with a kick in the hand.

The knife fell down to the floor and the child tried to take it up again but Gerold raised up his sword and pushed the blade against her neck. She stood up slowly when she felt its coldness then a moment later a sharp pain and her blood flew down to her shirt as a thin stream.

“If you try it again, I will kill you.” he said with hatred then made another cut on her neck. It was more painful so she burst into tears.

Gerold put the sword back in its sheath then pushed her to the floor. “Up yours, bastard!” he said and he was going away.

 _He shouldn’t win!_ Allyria thought, took her knife and stood up. “I’ll kill you, fucking jerk!” she said with anger and followed him running.

The knight heard her steps, stopped and turned towards her with his sword in his hand. “I see it wasn’t enough.” he said. “I will cut your bastard face with a pleasure!”

“No one will cut anyone!” they heard Lord Beric’s voice.

The Lord of Starfall stepped out of his room. Both looked at him. The lord noticed immediately that Allyria had got injured and ran to her. “What the Seven Hell happened?” he asked with a concern.

“This fucking jerk has cut me!” the child pointed at Gerold.

“Ser Gerold, is it true?” he asked and looked at his nephew frowning.

“She lies.” the knight replied.

“She is injured.” Lord Beric said.

Ser Gerold took it offense. “Uncle, please, don’t think I’m a child-abuser!” he yelled.

“I don’t lie, this jerk does!” Allyria yelled. “He has cut me twice and called me a bastard!”

“Ser Gerold, if I hear again you call my daughter a bastard, I will throw you out of my castle and forbid you to come here again!” his uncle yelled. “Now leave and I do not want to see you by this child!”

Gerold looked at Allyria with hatred. “You shall pay for it!” he murmured.

“I don’t fear you, jerk!” she replied furiously.

“Leave, Ser Gerold!” Lord Beric commanded.

The knight left then the lord looked at his granddaughter. She looked terrible with two bleeding fresh cuts on her neck. “What happened actually?” he asked.

“I have told you, this fucking jerk cut me!” the child replied.

“Don’t use words like this!” he shouted. “It’s disgusting when a highborn girl uses words like a sellsword!”

“When I grow up, I will be a sellsword.” Allyria said.

“You are my daughter. You will never be a sellsword!” Lord Beric said and took her hand. “Come, we are going to Maester Harwyn, your injuries must be healed.”

***

Allyria was crying while Maester Harwyn was cleaning her wounds.

“Calm, little lady!” the maester said. “Aye… ugly wounds. Fortunately, they are not so deep but I have to sew them. Presumably they will remain forever.”

“Do you say that they will never disappear and always will be on my neck?” asked the child frightenedly.

“Yes, little lady.” he replied.

Allyria made a sad face when she heard it. “It means I will have scars?” she asked.

“Yes, little lady.” said the old man.

It was the first time in her life when she worried about what she looked like. The maester took a needle and some thread. He took the needle into a candle’s flame then he laced up the thread. Allyria looked at him. “What do you want to do with this?” she asked in a fainting voice.

Maester Harwyn gave her a piece of wood. “Put into your mouth, little lady and snap at it.”

“Why?” she asked as she took it.

“I must sew your wounds.” he explained.

“With a needle?” she was completely horrified.

“It’s the only way.” he replied.

“What if I don’t want it?” she asked and a tear rolled down on her face.

“If I sew them, they will recover sooner.” the maester said. “Without being sewn they can open and bleed or what is worse, they can get infected.”

“Let them get infected, I don’t want you to sew me!” Allyria yelled.

“If they get infected, you will die.” Maester Harwyn informed her. “I cannot let it happen!”

“No!” she burst into tears.

“Please stop crying, little lady!” he asked her but the child didn’t calm down. “What should I do to let me heal your wounds?”

It took half an hour till Allyria calmed. Maester Harwyn got back her knife that Lord Beric took from her when he left the child by the maester. Allyria didn’t want to put down her favorite thing and he didn’t ask her to do it. He knew it was the prize of Allyria’s calming down.

When he was finally beginning to sew, the child squirmed. “Calm down, little lady!” he said. “It will hurt a bit but it’s necessary.”

“Maester Harwyn, promise me something.” she whined.

“What is this, little lady?” he asked.

“After you sew my wounds, please help me to write a letter to the First Ranger of the Night’s Watch!” she said.

“Alright, I will help you, little lady,” the maester said “but would you mind me teaching you to write? You could write that letter yourself.”

“It would take a long time and I want to send him this letter now.” Allyria said. “I want to thank him for the nameday gifts.”

“I will help you.” he repeated.

***

Sewing her wounds was the worst thing that happened to Allyria – of course, besides meeting Ser Gerold. While she was wiping away her tears, Maester Harwyn searched for a quill and some paper. He sat down and plunged the quill into the ink.

“What do you want me to write, little lady?” he asked.

“First, I want to thank him for the gifts.” Allyria replied. She paused for a while then continued. “Ask him why he sent me them and how he knows my name and when my nameday is.”

“As you want, little lady.” the maester said.

After he wrote the letter, the little girl insisted on giving the letter to a raven and seeing it fly away. They went up together to the Palestone Sword Tower where the ravens of the House Dayne dwelt when they were not on their way. The child chose a handsome bird and the old man tied the letter to its leg then they let it fly. Allyria watched the bird flying away till it disappeared afar off.

“Come, little lady” said Maester Harwyn.

The little girl didn’t move just looked down from the tower. The court was in the depth. She ran around in the tower and looked down from every corner of that.

“Little lady, it’s time to go back to the castle.” the old man said.

“Wait!” Allyria yelled. “Where did Ashara jump off?”

“Pardon?” he asked.

“Ashara was my sister.” she explained. “She died when I was very little or before I was born. I don’t remember her but Wylla my vet nurse said she had jumped off this tower.”

“It was a long time ago.” said the maester. “When I came here, you were about two years old. I don’t remember Lady Ashara, she must have died before this.”

“Yep.” she replied. “But our court is in the deep everywhere, if she jumped off this tower, she must have ended on the ground, not in the sea!”

“I don’t understand, little lady.” he said.

“Alfrid told me Ashara had drowned into the sea.” Allyria said. “She couldn’t if she jumped from here. Someone lied me!”

“I know nothing about her story, little lady, but I think you’re very young and it was a sad story that they don’t want you to know.” Maester Harwyn said. “Now come.”

The child was disappointed. She felt there was something about her sister’s mysterious death and she really wanted to find out what it was. She gave up staying in the tower and went down with the maester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember... In the book Ser Gerold cut off Myrcella's ear... She was just an innocent little girl. I can imagine this jerk cutting another innocent little girl.


	15. The letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allyria is still waiting for the answer of the First Ranger and thinking about Ashara's death. It frightens her family so new lies are born. Lord Dayne makes a mistake so he must lie his granddaughter about the death of her 'sister'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alfrid is a better thief than a liar but Allyria is only eight and cannot read and this time she wants to believe her uncle's stupid lie.

AC 293

Allyria’s wounds hurt so bad for long weeks but they were getting better and better. Some weeks later she became fit enough for fighting and riding a horse again so she continued these pursuits. When she didn’t have fighting or riding lessons, she stayed in the Palestone Sword Tower and stared at the sky waiting for the raven with the answer.

One day when she was there, Alfrid also came up. He was furious and held a creased paper in his hand. “What the Seven Hells is this?” he asked roaring. “Father has felt bad because of your stupidity!”

“I’ve done nothing wrong with him!” the little girl yelled.

“You have written a letter to the Night’s Watch!” he said. “It’s the answer. Father almost died when he read this!”

“Really?” she asked with wide eyes open. “Why? Read me, please!” she asked her uncle.

Alfrid looked at her weirdly. It was awkward that a highborn child of eight was illiterate but this time a weight was off his mind. _But if Allyria is illiterate who the Seven Hells wrote the first letter?_ The biggest problem was that he should think up something believable and tell it to her.

“I will read you this if you tell me who you had the previous letter written by.” he insisted.

“It was Maester Harwyn.” she told the truth.

“I thought it was Ser Daron or the septa.” he said.

“He promised me to write it if I let him sew my wounds.” she replied. “Now he’s not here so you must read the answer to me.”

Alfrid looked at his niece frowning. “Alright.” he said but his voice was nervous. He looked at the letter and he seemed so angry. He raised his head and looked at her again, took two deep breaths and finally told her a lie.

“The Lord Commander of the Night Watch knows all of the children in the Seven Kingdom who believe in the White Walkers. If someone takes the black, the Lord Commander orders him to choose one of these children and he has to take care of that child. The First Ranger has chosen you.”

“Sounds great.” Allyria said. “If he takes care of me, he must know that Uncle Gerold cut me. He should kill that silver haired jerk!”

“I agree.” Alfrid said. “If he knew what happened, he would kill Ser Gerold… or Ser Gerold would kill him. My cousin is a qualified knight and that crow is just a criminal.”

“Why do you think he is?” she asked.

Her uncle looked angry and really nervous. He fought with his own anger and tried to give an acceptable answer. “All crows are criminals.” he said eventually.

“Why?” the child asked. “What has he done?”

The question came hard on Alfrid. He couldn’t hold the field anymore. “You don’t have to know every damned muck what has ever happened! He’s a criminal, a real jerk! If you ask about him again, I’ll toss you off this tower!”

He had seen her in an angry manner before but not as furious as that time. She was scared and just stared at him almost crying.

“Go back to your room!” he commanded her.

“Give me the letter first!” she talked back.

“Why?” he asked mockingly. “You cannot read.”

“I don’t care!” she yelled. “It’s my letter! The First Ranger sent it to me!”

Alfrid hesitated for a while then he said “Alright, I’ll give it to you but before that I must show it to Maester Harwyn. You said he had written the first letter. I want to hear his opinion about it.”

Allyria approved then she left the tower with her uncle. The man went to her room with her then he left after she closed the door. He didn’t go to the maester. Instead, he returned to his own room and hid the letter under the mattress of his bed.

***

Lord Beric recovered by Allyria’s ninth nameday. He felt better physically but he was shattered inside. He seemed so sad when his granddaughter saw him standing in front of the fireplace with the Dawn - the legendary sword of the House Dayne in the Great Hall of the Starfall castle. She didn’t go to him because she had learned he needed to be alone when he was sad.

She went down to the coast with Septa Welma and two of the guards but everything was so empty. There was no one except them. None of them said anything, they forgot her nameday as everyone else did and it made her really sad.

Ser Daron was nicer, he wished her ‘happy nameday’ but he didn’t give her a gift, either. After she got off Silver’s back, she went up to the Palestone Sword Tower. She just wanted people who didn’t care about her to leave her alone.

“What the Seven Hells are you doing here again?” she heard Alfrid’s voice. “You have already gotten your stupid letter from that… that criminal.”

“He’s not a criminal and you have not given me back my letter.” Allyria replied.

“Aye, I have forgotten it.” he apologized.

“Maybe the First Ranger has sent me another letter for my nameday.” she said with hope.

“Or not.” her uncle said sternly.

“You’re so evil!” she whined. “I hate the way you and Eleyna behave.”

“Why?” Alfrid asked. “How do we behave?”

“I don’t know…” Allyria replied. “You are so unfriendly and you behave like a king and a queen.”

“No one said before we behave like a king and a queen.” he said. “What do you know about kings and queens?”

“Queens are wives of kings, wealthier than other ladies and has more jewelries but they are lame in the same way.” she answered. “Kings are husbands of queens and they command more people than lords and princes, they command lords and princes too.”

“Yes, it’s the essence of it.” her uncle said. “Now come back to your room.”

“You’re not a king!” the child yelled. “You have neither a crown nor a throne made of swords!”

“I’m not but I’m your elder brother.” Alfrid replied. “I’m an adult and you are a child so this reason must be enough for you to do what I tell you.”

“As you want, Lord Alfrid.” Allyria said cheekily and when she was on the stairway she added “I wish White Walkers took you and your wife away.”

“I have heard you!” he said but the child didn’t care about it.

***

When Allyria entered the castle, Lord Beric was the first who she met. He looked at her with anger, almost hatred. She stopped and just stared at him.

“Go to your room now, I don’t want to see you today!” he said with a strange pain in his voice.

“I’ve done nothing wrong!” the child didn’t understand.

“You did.” her grandfather said.

“I just wanted to thank the First Ranger for the gifts he sent me for my last nameday!” she tried to explain. “Alfrid has stolen his answer and I haven’t gotten another gift or letter yet.”

“I don’t care about your damned nameday!” Lord Beric roared. “Today is the ninth anniversary of my daughter’s death!”

“Ashara’s?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yes.” he replied. “My beautiful and gentle daughter.”

“How did she die?” Allyria asked.

To her surprise he didn’t begin to shout. He just answered in a low voice. “She was killed... A damned bastard killed her.”

“How did this bastard kill her?” the child asked.

“Shut up, pup!” her grandfather roared and looked at her as hatefully as only Ser Gerold did. “Go off now! I don’t want to see you!”

“What happened to him?” she asked quaveringly.

“To whom?” he asked back.

“To the bastard who killed my sister.” Allyria said.

Lord Beric realized he made a mistake. _I should not say the word bastard…_ he thought but it was too late. He had to create a new believable lie.

“He’s on the Wall.” he said.

“You said you knew no one on the Wall!” she confronted him with an old lie.

“I don’t remember this.” he said.

“But I do!” she yelled. “You told me years ago you knew no one on the Wall. You lied!”

“I had to!” he yelled. He just shouted, but didn’t hit her. This reaction surprised the child. “I had to. I didn’t want you to know.”

“Is he the only one on the Wall you know?” Allyria asked.

“Yes, he is.” Lord Beric replied. “This bastard pushed your sister off the Palestone Storm Tower because he wanted her not to meet his brother anymore.”

It was too much for a nine-year-old child. She burst into tears immediately and ran to her room. To live this experience inverted her young life. She didn’t want to know more about what happened, she just wanted to be alone with her pain. She locked her door with a key and dropped herself onto the bed and just cried. It was the worst nameday ever. She didn’t get any gifts again but she learned her sister had been murdered the day she was born. She thought that it was the reason why no one had been happy on her nameday and why no one had told her about Ashara... except Wylla but she hadn’t seen her since she was four. She didn’t suppose what her grandfather said was a lie and the reality was completely different…


	16. To be betrothed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Dayne has a guest who actually comes to see Allyria. Ser Trisfer Cole is the steward of Blackhaven and Ser Beric Dondarrion sent him to see the young lady of Starfall because he's about to betroth her and may marry her when she becomes older. Allyria is just ten and dreams about being a sellsword so she's not interested in getting married anytime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for other Beric fans but our favourite character doesn't show up in this chapter, he's only mentioned in this story.

AC 294

More than a year passed and nothing was in order in Starfall. Allyria became again a problematic child, she couldn’t pay attention to anyone and anything anymore. She tried to escape three times but never got farther than the bridge. She wanted to do only three things. The first and the most important was killing Ser Gerold because she hated him the most. The second was killing Eddard Stark because he killed her “brother” Arthur and last but not least she wanted to kill the nameless bastard on the Wall, who killed Ashara.

After her last unsuccessful try to escape, she asked Maester Harwyn to write a letter again to the First Ranger and asked him to kill the man who killed her sister. The old man spoke with Lord Beric but he forbade him to write so he wrote only to Archmaester Ebrose of Oldtown and lied to the child. Allyria didn’t get answer for months so she also asked Septa Welma to write him. The woman wrote a letter to Eddard Stark and asked him what to do.

Not long after this, two ravens arrived in Starfall on the same day. One of them came from the Wall. Alfrid found it and read Benjen’s letter to Allyria. He wrote her the whole truth and asked her to escape from Starfall as soon as possible and go to Winterfell, the only place in the world which was safe enough for her. The heir of Starfall got scared so he also hid this letter under his bed’s mattress and hoped no one would find them.

The second raven came from the Marches and brought a letter for Lord Beric Dayne of Starfall. It was a formal letter and the lord got nervous after he read it. What he feared had happened, someone paid attention to his ‘daughter’. After a short thinking he realized that he could rid of Allyria if he accepted the Lord of Blackhaven’s request.

***

About a month later a horse galloped across the bridge and a man in scarlet cloak got off its back after it stopped at the court. Allyria saw him from her window and thought that he was another guest of her grandfather who she wouldn’t meet. She was absolutely astonished when Lord Beric opened her door and told her the guest wanted to see her everyway.

“Why?” she asked. “He’s not in the Night’s Watch, his cloak isn’t black.”

“Ser Trisfer Cole does not belong to the Night’s Watch.” the lord said. “He has come from the Stormlands. He’s the steward of Blackhaven.”

“What is a steward?” the child asked.

“Steward is the man who helps the lord with organizing the servants and managing the day-to-day activities of the estate.” Lord Beric explained to her. “So, Ser Trysfer helps Lord Dondarrion the same way as Lewyn helps me.”

“It sounds quite boring.” she said. “Lewyn is not as important as Ser Daron. Being a castellan is much bigger privilege than being a steward.”

“You are wrong.” he said. “Being a steward is not a military position but he is an important person in the household.”

“Lewyn doesn’t have a sword.” she said.

“Ser Trisfer has one.” he replied. “He is not just a steward but a knight and needs a sword while he is on his way. You can see with your own eyes after you dress up and go down into the Great Hall.”

“I’ve already got dressed up.” Allyria said.

“You look like a boy.” her grandfather said. “You should wear a pretty dress.”

“I never wear dresses.” she replied. “I don’t have any and I won’t.”

“Aye…” he moaned. “I have learned to accept you will never look like a lady but I do not know what Ser Trisfer will think. If you do not have any dress, get on clear trousers and shirt and please take that terrible rag off your arm! It looks disgusting.”

“No!” she yelled. “It was a nameday gift from the First Ranger of the Night’s Watch!”

“I don’t care.” Lord Beric said. “Take it off!”

Allyria untied it sadly and placed it on her pillow. After her grandfather left her room, she changed her clothes then she tied the rag around her arm again.

***

Ser Trisfer raised his eyebrows when he saw Allyria. He was so astonished because he thought that he would meet a girl of about twelve or thirteen in a pretty dress and some jewelry, not a child of ten or younger dressed like a boy.

“Welcome here, ser!” the child greeted him. “Why have you wanted to meet me?”

“Allyria!” Lord Beric casted a withering glance at her. He noticed the rag on her hand but couldn’t say anything because Ser Trisfer turned to him.

“No problem, my Lord.” he pulled himself together then he turned back to the little girl. “My lady.” he said and bowed to her.

Allyria just blinked with big eyes because she didn’t get an answer to her question. She asked again. “Why have you wanted to meet me? No one who comes here wants to meet me.”

Lord Beric saved the situation with the following offer; “Ser Trisfer, would you mind continuing this conversation by dinner?”

“No, my lord.” the steward said politely. “It is a great honor for me to eat with the greatest lord of the Southern Red Mountains.”

***

While they were waiting for the food, Ser Trisfer looked at Allyria. “Excuse me, my lady.” he said. “May I ask how old you are?”

“Ten.” answered the child.

“You are very young.” he stated. “You have black hair. It is great, Ser Beric does not like blondes. He prefers dark haired ladies. I think he will take a lot of delight in you when you come of age.”

“Poor Ser Beric… it’s so sad he also has no one to play with.” Allyria said. “I will play with him with pleasure.”

Lord Beric turned into stone with the fork in his hand, Alfrid choked and Eleyna almost fainted in a sitting position. Fortunately, Ser Trisfer understood what she really wanted to say.

“I am so sorry, my lady.” he said. “I think he does not need to play anymore. He will turn twenty and five on his next nameday. He wants you to be his wife when you are older.”

“What?” Allyria asked almost in panic and dropped her fork onto the floor. Everyone looked at her frowning angrily but she just continued. “I want to marry no one at no time! I don’t want to be a lady!”

“You cannot refuse it!” Lord Beric shouted as he stood up. “You are my daughter and my daughter has to marry a noble lord when she turns sixteen.”

“I’m just ten!” Allyria talked back. “My sister didn’t marry either!”

“I wish, she would have done it!” the lord yelled vehemently. “I would have let her wed to anyone including that Stark if I had known what would happen!”

Everyone looked at him. The lord was ashamed of his previous invectives. “I am so sorry.” he said and sat back to his chair.

Ser Trisfer had also heard about Ashara’s mysterious death but he knew nothing certain. He changed topic instead of asking. “Excuse me, my lady.” he said to Allyria. “Would you mind if I asked some questions?”

“What questions?” asked the child.

“Some questions about you, my lady.” the steward of Blackhaven replied. “I am here because Ser Beric wants me to learn some things about you.”

“Which things?” she asked.

“He would like to know how you like spending your time.” he said.

“I like rinding a horse and sword fighting.” Allyria replied. “According to Ser Daron, I’m quite good at both. Do you want to see it?”

“Maybe the next time, my lady.” the steward stuttered. “It is really… interesting that you can use a sword, but… how goes the needlework? Ser Beric would be glad if you sent him something that you have made.”

_The needlework and I?_ Allyria was anguished.

“Did I say something wrong, my lady?” he asked.

“Yep… or rather I’m so sorry to make Ser Beric sad but I don’t do needlework.” the child replied. “It’s for the lame girls.”

“Excuse me, my lady, but I have not understood what you have said.” Ser Trisfer felt so confused.

“The needlework is for the lame girls.” Allyria repeated. “For the lame girls who cannot fight and wear girly dresses.”

Everyone got shocked about what she said. Ser Trisfer felt he got almost a heart attack but he was only a few years older than Alfrid. “My lady, have you ever worn a dress?” he asked in a fainting voice.

“No.” she replied. “I have always worn trousers since I was five. I had worn rags before.”

“Allyria, why do you use such a rude word?” Alfrid asked nervously then he turned towards the guest. “She used to wear dresses, she just hated them I don’t know why. She never took care of her clothes when she was younger.”

Lord Beric looked at his son frowning so he shut his mouth. The elder man continued. “It is the reason I allowed her to wear boyish clothes in a young age. If she gets older, she will wear dresses again like other girls.”

“No!” Allyria objected. “I will never wear a dress! If Ser Beric wants me so much to be his wife, he must accept this fact!”

“I will ask him what he thinks about it as soon as I return to Blackhaven.” Ser Trisfer said. “I think stories about beautiful maids and strong knights who save them are not your favorites.”

“You are right, I hate them.” she said. “Only lame girls need to be saved.”

“What kind of stories do you like, my lady?” he asked.

“I like stories about wars.” she replied. “My favorite is the one about the Long Night and the hero who defeated the White Walkers with a flaming sword.”

Lord Beric felt so confused. He hoped his granddaughter had forgotten about that story and chosen a new favorite but he was wrong.

“I see…” the steward said. “Did you read this story in some old book?”

“Nope.” the child said. “Septa Welma told me when I was little, I cannot read. Anyway, reading is for maesters and septas.”

Ser Trisfer felt more and more awkward after every answer but it was too much for him. _What a shame! A highborn child of ten cannot read? Ser Beric is crazy if he really wants to betroth her!_ he thought. He drank a glass of water to calm down and took a deep breath.

“Did I say something wrong?” Allyria asked.

“I’m alright, my lady” the steward replied. “It must be an interesting story. Do you like songs?”

“Yep.” she said.

“And what is your favorite song, my lady?” he asked.

“The Bear and the Maiden Fair.” Allyria replied. “I learned it from Bronn in a pub. He’s my friend and a sellsword. When I grow up, I want to be a sellsword too.”

“Allyria, enough!” Lord Beric interrupted her. “You are my daughter and you will never be a sellsword!”

The child looked at him. “You cannot tell me what I will be.” she said cheekily then she looked at Ser Trisfer. “Do you have any questions, ser?” she asked.

“I think I’ve known almost everything I wanted, my lady.” he answered. “The ladies of House Dondarrion love arts so much. Do you also like them?”

“Which arts do you mean?” she asked.

“Arts like painting, statuary, music and poetry.” the steward said.

“I’m not interested in arts.” Allyria said. “I like the picture about my sister in daddy’s room but other paintings I have seen are not so interesting. Statues aren’t interesting either. I hate poetry, it’s so lame. And music… what type of music do you mean?”

“Soft melodies by harp.” he replied. “All the ladies can play a harp and like to listen to it.”

“I’m not a lady.” she said. “I don’t play a harp and I won’t. I prefer songs like ‘The Bear and the Maiden Fair’ sung by sellswords and the smallfolk.”

Ser Trisfer was fed up with the cheeky little girl and her answers _. If she was my daughter, I would slap her_ he thought but instead, he just said, “It’s sad that you don’t show any interest in arts, Ser Beric’s sisters and the other ladies of his House will be very disappointed.”

“I don’t care about what they think.” Allyria said and shocked everyone. “Maybe the art of White Walkers is not as lame as the stupid things that lame girls like but I hate arts which they love.”

“Enough, young lady!” Lord Beric said and stood up. “Now go back to your room and I don’t want to see you while Ser Trisfer is here!”

“Alright, daddy” she said and stood up then she went back to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER!!
> 
> When Allyria grows up, she and Beric will be a real couple but it's another story.


End file.
